PMD: Termas
by Charu
Summary: In a land where it only knows peace, a disturbance had occurred to drop an unexpected visitor. One that could potentially set motion a period that would change the lives of all who inhabit the land. Sometimes its better to be ignorant than knowing the truth.
1. Chapter 1

_In the beginning, there was nothing. No light was shed in the vast dark. No hope, no life, the song of silence echoed within the void. A hopeless and endless cycle that repeated itself to convert anything that even dared to pierce through the darkness to their own cause._

 _But then a light did shine through the layers of the void. Growing ever larger to challenge the dark. It grew and grew until eventually the light overcame the dark. The void, gone. The cycle was broken._

 _Upon the light, life began to stir within its awesome presence. The light gave birth to a new cycle, one with hope and longevity. Harmony and peace given to all who reside in the light._

 _But then the dark came slithering back, challenging the light to regain the void it once had. A clash of light and dark followed soon forth and plunged what was once peace into despair._

 _For it is written when the light grew weak against the dark, it bestowed a hero with the soul of the Cipher. The hero saved the light and restored the shattered peace, vanquishing the dark back to the unknown._

 _What came of the hero? None have known. The hero, after restoring light, suddenly vanished without a trace._

 _So we honor our hero, pay tribute each cycle to the one who gave us hope. Come pray with me, for we are one with the light. Let us never forget this hero for cycles to come._

" _Light to the Termas."_

* * *

In the dead of night, a gentle breeze brushed its way through a small grove. The distant moon shining brightly to illuminate the the scenery to give it a blue tint. The leaves of trees rustling in the gentle wind, as if they were trying not to disturb the perpetual calm the clear starry skies have always brought.

Rushing water could be heard in the distance. A shoreline just barely visible from a rather large hill in a clearing in the middle of the grove. Upon that hill sat a peculiar creature. It's yellow eyes giving an eerie glow as it watched the shoreline. It was unblinking, looking out at the waters as if it knew something was out there. The creature's curly tail wagging sporadically as it concentrated on a singular spot in the distance.

A faint glow started upon the creature's head. A red jewel, engraved within its head, giving that mystic light. The sudden change did not startle the creature, it continued its ever piercing gaze to the unknown. That was until a very faint pop was sounded. Instantly the creature dropped its gaze and looked around.

It looked and looked, its facial features not changing from when it was intently gazing off. Then, suddenly as if it realized something, looked amused. The amusement lasted only a moment though before it turned into a small smile.

This cat-like creature stretched its forward legs outward, shook its body, and then got up from its haunches to stretch its hind legs. It gave one last look to the shoreline with that smile before walking down the hill and into the surrounding trees.

The grove didn't give a second thought on what happened. It continued to be peaceful, as the light wind continued to rustle their leaves in unison. Unknowingly to the calm they only know, however, they suddenly had a new visitor.

In another corner of the grove was another creature. It looked to be unconscious and in a very awkward position. The creature was vastly different from what sat atop the hill. Instead of the numerous cat-like features, it sprouted a very snake-like snout with yellow leaves protruding from its shoulders. It also had a tail, but it looked as if it were suppose to be a part of the other numerous collection of leaves rustling about.

The creature stirred, unaware of its surroundings. It twitched and shuddered, the look of discomfort on its face. The hard breaths becoming apparent as the creature continued to convulse on the grass.

Voices were heard in the distance, but not a soul was in sight. They penetrated through this unconscious creature, speaking words that it could not comprehend. The voices got louder by each passing moment, the calm grove unaware to the turmoil that was happening beneath their trunks.

 _Go-….. ….. ….-un! …. … -non!_

The creature continued to convulse, its eyes squeezed shut as it bared it sharp teeth. It looked to be in immense amount of pain.

 _...Li- … … … -ness… …. …. … -oo late!_

Its breathing became heavier and faster. It clutched at the grass, its tail spazzing as all its muscles seem to be twitching uncontrollably.

 _Please… … … … … -ycle…. … end!_

Its eyes shot wide open showing the reddish tint on the slit eyes. It continued to twitch in place, its eyes crazed as it stared whatever was in front of it. Its mouth parted open to let out a scream, but none came. Only gurgling and dry heaving.

 _Hope-... …. …-pair…. …. death!_

Upon the final word the voice cried out, the creature stopped convulsing madly and was suddenly at a standstill. Its eyes, glassy and wide, looking wherever its head decided to stop at that very instant. As dead as its face told, it still held life. Its breath quickly calmed, its mouth agaped as every muscle began to relax.

The grove, as unaware to the situation as it was, continued to peacefully rustle about in the calm wind. The creature began to stir again after a few gusts passed over its figure. This time though it wasn't of uncontrollable twitching. The creature blinked, not having known it had its eyes opened from before. It withered about as it tried to pick itself from the ground, but kept falling flat on its face on each attempt.

It tried and tried, but it could simply not push itself up. It soon opted to lay there, breathing heavily once more from its excursion. It tilted its head, taking in the surrounding trees. The look of fear and confusion on its snout. This creature simply had no clue where he was. Though it didn't appear to be in any other danger.

"W-where am…" the creature mumbled to himself. He stopped when he realized that the voice that came from him was something he definitely didn't remember. That's when it hit him. He was completely different from what he remembered. His body, his arms, his tail, he didn't even remember having a tail before.

The worst aspect was that he had no recollection of his past, nevermind his identity. It was as if he popped into existence out of thin air!

He started to panic, not knowing what to do in this situation. He may have no memories, but that apparently didn't stop him from knowing words and forming incomprehensible images in his head. He tried to get up once again, but he was too weak and not familiar with this body.

Why was he so weak? Why can't he remember? Where is he? Who and what is he?

These thoughts flowed through his panic-stricken mind at the pace of a hyperactive child. This kept going for a good minute before he stopped and lied there. His defeated, and still confused, expression told anyone that could see that he couldn't move. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down.

He did once more.

Opening his eyes slightly, he gazed at the grass as it shook in place from the breeze. _Oh_ , the breeze he just realized. He tilted his head the best he could to the starry sky. He saw the glow of the moon, casting its blue aura across the grove. It was then he could hear the rustling of the leaves and water.

Despite the episode he just had, he found lying there, weak as he is, incredibly serene. He didn't feel hungry or dehydrated to make him concern that he needed to quickly sustain himself in his current predicament. There didn't appear to be anything out in the trees that would feast upon him either. He was, for the most part, safe.

So he laid there, plopping his head back down to the grass and listening to the melody of nature. He didn't want to sleep, but his body refused to listen to his mind. He slowly drifted off, still in an awkward position.

He tried to stretch one of his arms out, but they were simply much too short for him to look at. He needed to concentrate. He felt if he closed his eye that it would be the end of him. The thought made him groan. _My voice._

He looked to his side, seeing that he had green skin. It looked wet to the touch with the moonlight bouncing off of it. He could just barely see the end of his tail. _Or was it a leaf?_ He couldn't tell, but he was sure it was a part of him somehow.

He must stay awake, but his body was yelling at him to stop moving and rest. He couldn't, not without knowing why he was in such a weaken state. For all he knew, whatever was happening could be fatal if he let his body do what it wanted.

Then he heard a very distinct crack. He was too weak to look at what caused it, but his fear became apparent on his snout. He was dead if that belonged to something that wanted a midnight snack. He couldn't run away or hide, his body refusing to want to move itself.

He squirmed, fruitlessly trying to crawl, or heck, even move. He needed to find somewhere that was safer than being out in the open. His instincts kicking in and pumping adrenaline, but it doing nothing to help its body.

He heard another snap, his breathing became fast and heavy for the third time. He managed to crawl a short distance away from the noise, but he was nowhere near to be tucked away in the safety the trees provided. Each pull and push with his unfamiliar limbs putting a toll on the already given out body.

Another snap, and then a warm yellow light lit the ground and trees he was trying to crawl to. He didn't dare look behind him, fear taking hold of him, and only his instincts were telling him to keep crawling. The light was giving off a rather warm sensation. He didn't know what that meant until it got closer and closer.

"Hey guys, I found it!" a gruff voice shouted. "It's a Snivy, it definitely looks hurt!"

He stopped crawling, the gruff voice ringing in his ears as he comprehended what it said. _It isn't here to hurt me._ He clumsily turned around to look at his visitor. He didn't know if he should be afraid or comforted. The creature before him looked massive compared to him. Standing tall, with a slightly round belly, it sprouted wings and the face of a dragon. It bore down on, what this creature called a Snivy, with proud blue eyes.

His orange, yet red, tint scales covering his body also shined from the moon. His belly being a creamy color, but looked just as thick skinned with the rest of his scales. His wings giving a shade of blue to match its blue eyes. His tail, long and thick, swaying slowly behind that had a flame at the tip. Around his long neck he wore a necklace. The string being pulled down by a single claw that dangled on his chest.

It looked like something out of a fantasy book, but then again, he's sure he didn't look any more ridiculous than the beast in front him. The most frightening thing, however, despite the intimidated appearance, was that smirk. This creature looked like it was smirking at his crippled self.

A blue figure came dashing out from behind and stopped besides the beast. This one looked more like a frog, a scarf hiding the lower half of its face. _Or was it really a scarf?_ He couldn't be certain, but he thought that it was the creature's tongue wrapped around its neck like a scarf. _I'm delirious I think._

It didn't say anything as it stared at him. It's violet eyes taking in the crippled Snivy before taking it's attention to their surroundings. Its blue, slick skin shining slightly bright from the beast's tail. It shared the same creamy underbelly of the beast, but was lacking an intimidating stance the other showcased.

He looked at, what he couldn't believe, were small water bubbles jiggling on the joints of this creature. _I think that is a tongue._ Its head protruded two spiked ridges making it look like it had big, long ears. Its hands were fins with finger joints, the left one adorning a silver bracelet with a sapphire engraved.

"Oh dear, you would think all the little tykes were in bed by now," a calm feminine voice said. Another creature appeared on the other side of the beast. This one appeared to be hovering in place, defying gravity.

She appeared ghostly, a white aura surrounding her as she looked at the crippled Snivy with pity. It looked like she was the only one wearing any type of clothing. She had her small hands placed just in front of her stomach, or he thought it was her stomach anyways. He couldn't quite make out if the lower end was anything or was actually a body. Her arms came from her head rather than her supposed body.

She had a nicely tied purple bow wrapped around her mid section. She had what looked like a mask covering her rather bright purple face. She had cyan eyes with no whites, they glowed a soft yellow in the night. Two crystals adorned her headpiece, they too glowed with her. The rest of her body was covered in a kimoto of sorts. A basic bag with a flap around her shoulder on her right.

"Yeah, it's a good thing we were told by the guildmaster," the beast responded, not taking his eyes off the Snivy. "You brought the Reviver Seeds, right?"

She nodded, pulling something out from the bag. She slowly floated towards the Snivy which somehow calmed him. She had a certain energy he could feel from her that just made his mind be at ease.

"Okay, lil guy, I need you to munch on these, okay?" She knelt down, her bottom half nearly touching the grass. She extended her hand to the Snivy's mouth, motioning him to open his mouth.

He complied, letting her gently place the seeds in his opened mouth. He began to chew the substance. A crunch here and there as he slowly chewed up the seeds. It tasted kind of salty and bitter.

The beast and the floating one watched with concern as the Snivy struggled to swallow the small meal. The frog staying at high alert. At first, nothing happened, he still felt incredibly weak. Then suddenly he felt like he was getting stretched from head to toe. He gasped at the sensation, but it didn't hurt.

Shivering, the Snivy hugged himself as a feeling of intense cold followed. It was like one giant cold shiver going down his spine. Then as soon as it started, it was gone. He blinked, no longer feeling weak. Instead he felt like he could sleep for days. His mind went numb at the sudden transition.

The floating one sighed in relief. The beast chuckled, walking up to her and patting her on the back of her head. The frog, briefly looking at the quick work that the seeds did, continued to look around.

The two looked like they were waiting for something, staring happily at the healed Snivy. His mind was still at a lost, he didn't register that these creatures just healed him from whatever happened. He shook his head, trying his best to say something.

"Th-thank you," he muttered.

The beast chuckled once more and turned towards the floating one. "Alright, I guess I'll carry this Snivy back to town, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he probably went through a lot tonight. These woods have been getting crazy lately." Her eyes went to the frog. "Still though, this area should've been safe from them."

"The barriers are still up as far as I know," the beast shrugged. "It feels like it's been awhile since the psychics put it up." The frog creature looked at the beast with mild amusement at this statement. The beast caught its amusement and shrugged again. "Well yeah, I mean that's what they did, right? Everyone in town was talking about it when it happened."

"You shouldn't believe all the rumors," she said shaking her head. She turned back to the weary and confused Snivy. "Anyways, lil' guy, what's your name?"

His name... He gasped at the sudden question. He didn't know his name! Looking around nervously at nothing in particular, he didn't know how to respond. The beast and hovering one were quick to note the distress response.

"You okay?" she asked softly. The Snivy shook his head. What should he tell them, he wondered.

"I don't…" he replied looking away.

"Oh dear."

The beast walked and bent over to scoop the Snivy in his arms. He looked down at him with a curious look before turning his gaze to the hovering one. "Maybe what got to him whacked him on the head?"

"I don't see any bruises…" she trailed off as if she suddenly saw something that didn't make sense. "Actually there weren't any bruises at all when you found him, were there?"

"Huh, I think you're right." The beast looked once more at the Snivy. He grew unnerved by this sudden train of thought. "It definitely was clawing its way away from me though. I could tell this Snivy was hurt from his movements."

"Yeah, I could sense the pain from within him when I got close," she added, equally perplexed by the unscathed Snivy. "You mind telling us what happened, lil guy?"

The Snivy, growing uneasy with this conversation, shook his head. That was another question he wished he knew himself. "No, I just," he started, trying to find the words, "woke up and couldn't move." It was then after he found the words that he wanted to ask the questions that formed when he first came to.

"You sure you can't remember what happened, sweety?" she interrupted unknowingly.

The Snivy shook his head again. "No, I don't…" He looked at the floating one, then to the beast carrying him. He was uncertain if he should mutter the next set of words. These creatures obviously knew what he was and they seem to know each other and not acting hostile. Nevermind he had newfound questions of all three of their appearances and how one of them was floating. Nothing made sense, but for some reason his instincts told him these were normal phenomenons. He supposed that was why he wasn't continuing to freak out when he laid eyes on his saviors.

"...I don't know what I am, or what you are."

They two stood there, not saying anything as they took in that one blurb from the Snivy. The frog, done with looking about, paid attention to the Snivy with a curious set of eyes. The Snivy felt uncomfortable, even more so than initially. He felt the tension strong after muttering the words. He was quick to regret making that decision.

"Oh!"

The floating one blinked and shook her own head. She looked at the two who were still transfixed on the Snivy. Both didn't hear her snapping to. "I'm sorry to hear that, lil one."

The beast snapped as well when he heard her voice. "Wow, I've never heard of someone losing all their memories." He looked at her with determination. "We should get him checked out by Servida."

She nodded in agreement. "She'll definitely know what to do with a case like this." With one more glance at the Snivy, she drifted off. "I'm going to let her know you're coming. I'm sure she's sleeping right now and I rather not cause a scene. If you could, Gadda, could you keep Colb company?"

The frog, named Gadda that turned to face her, nodded. The beast, aptly named Colb, turned to face her as well. His expression full of vigor. "You don't really think it is because of them, do you?"

She stopped in place and turned her head, her eyes went back to the Snivy cuddled around Colb's arms. He looked still as confused as well as tired. She returned Colb's gaze, "I don't know."

With that, she floated off through the dense woods, leaving the two creatures to their musings. Colb looked over to Gadda who watched as the hovering one's light vanished within the thick trees. "Just to be safe," he started getting Gadda's attention, "guard my rear in case it is them."

Gadda nodded and positioned himself just behind Gadda's flaming tail. They both began to follow in the floating one's wake. Tree after tree, leaf after leaf, they trekked on through the grove. Not a single creature to hinder their, otherwise, peaceful journey. The calm wind still flowing about, nature playing its tune as it always had.

* * *

They got to another clearing marked by a path and sign. The town Colb spoke about were in front of them still asleep. The night not showing it was going to end anytime soon. The tree-like buildings marked the homes of the locals.

Colb didn't stop to admire the slumbering scenery. He walked past a few stumps, making sure his footsteps were soft and his tails swishing away from being too close. He looked down to the Snivy to see he had long past drifted off to slumber himself. He was curious how the guildmaster knew that this Snivy was even out there. The journey to get to him was not a short one.

He also didn't recall there ever being a family living here that followed the Snivy evolution line. This is the first time he's actually ever laid eyes on a Snivy in the flesh. Still, if he could help the helpless, it made him feel like he was actively helping the town, his home. It doesn't happen very often, but he has seen new creatures migrate right into their humble abode.

His train of thought ended when he reached his destination. It didn't look any different from the other houses except for the pink ribbons adorning some of the branches. Gadda stopped next to him, still on high alert as he looked around. With a slurping noise, instantly, the tongue that wrapped around its neck retracted. Gadda gulped the flesh down and smacked its lips revealing that his creamy belly reached up to the underside of his chin.

He stretched, clasping his fins together, and yawned. The first sign of him letting his guard down. He continued to stretch before giving a smirk to Colb who stood there looking at him.

"You know," Colb began, "the sound your tongue makes, I will never get used to it."

Gadda only smirked wider in response. He knew the sound would make Colb uneasy. He put his arms down and fixed his attention to the opening of the tree trunk. A dim light could be seen from the inside.

Gadda approached the side and knocked upon it. A gentle feminine voice responded. "Come in."

They both walked in and through a small hall or sorts before reaching a tidy home. More pink ribbons were placed around the home with an assortment of vases and books. In one corner was a small stack of vials with unknown contents. All had labels that were much too illegible to be read from where they stood. In another corner were some makeshift beds consisting of stuffed pillows stacked on each other.

In the center of the room underneath a soft light bulb of sorts, sitting on its haunches, looked to be fox with long ears. The fox-like creature had ribbons on its person, but it looked like it was simply a part of the creature. They moved about as if the fox could control the ribbon-like appendages on its head and chest. Her pupiless, light blue eyes looked at her guests with the beast holding the sleeping Snivy. Servida was this fox-like creature's name.

"Ah yes, Frose said you were coming with this Snivy child."

"Speaking of, where is she?" Colb asked.

"Said she needed to look into something," she replied, yawning to show she had indeed been sleeping before their arrival. "She didn't say what about." With that she approached the beast. Her eyes bringing attention to the Snivy. "This child, he lost his memories?"

The beast nodded. "Yeah, claims he doesn't know what he is or what I was. How could someone forget that much without it affecting their speech?"

"Well," she started thinking of an answer, "I know there's some dark medicine that destroys the mind."

"Really?" The beast got anxious hearing that.

"Of course you have nothing to worry about," she chuckled finding humor. "As far as I know, I'm the only one around that knows how to make such medicine and I never intend to produce it."

"But what if that's what happened to this Snivy?"

"I'll definitely be looking at that possibility." She looked towards one of the makeshift beds. "Could you place the child over there? I'll see if I can find anything that might've tampered with his mind."

The beast complied and walked over to where she stared. He placed the Snivy down, still asleep and very much unaware to the conversation. He felt pity for the Snivy, he couldn't imagine suddenly forgetting everything. He knelt down and placed his claw on the Snivy's snout, stroking it softly. "Hope you get your memories back soon, kid."

He turned and went to the exit. He nodded at Servida, who nodded back, and motioned Gadda to follow. Before he reached the exit, he stopped and turned his head around to see that she was already tending to the Snivy. A mystic glow came from her, eyes closed, and her ribbons swaying softly at her power.

He walked out, Gadda following.


	2. Chapter 2

Darkness, that's all there was. All around was darkness, and he was all alone. He stepped hesitantly in one direction, but he didn't know if he was going anywhere. It was as if he was trapped in this cocoon. He felt miserable, the sadness flowing through him like poison. He wanted it all to end, to drop dead, to join with the darkness.

A faint light was in the distance, he could feel hope returning to him when he laid eyes on the treasure. He walked slowly towards it, still uncertain if he was even moving. Though as he thought he was approaching this warmth, he felt a terrible sensation. He didn't trust the light.

He was unsure if he should attempt to join the light, but it was better than having the hopelessness of darkness consume him. So he walked, and walked, and walked.

Then he felt something stab him.

He clutched himself, or so he thought, not even seeing where he was clutching at. The sharp pain was quick, but it would've made him scream. No scream did come from him. In fact, he didn't even know if he could scream. He couldn't feel anything, but he definitely felt that stab.

Then the light burst forth, sending a shockwave through the void he was in. He looked around, his surroundings turning blue with a multitude of colors pouring forth. He looked to himself, but he couldn't see himself.

 _What's happening?_

A structure materialized in front of him. It rose up, reaching high in this blue light. It looked to be a tower, it's walls made of pure metal. Red lights shone in contrast with the blue tint the light gave. The red lights formed lines scattered about and looked to be flowing within.

The presence of this tower gave him a sense of insignificance, but he also felt that it was calling for him. He didn't try moving, he waited for something to happen.

And something did happen.

A figure emerged from the walls, looking at him with pure yellow eyes. He was sure he was looking at him even though he couldn't seem to look at himself. The figure looked young appearing to be no later than his early twenties. His red hair, long enough to almost reach his shoulders, flowing mysteriously in this lighten void

His skin was crisp, like a well kept tan. He wore a red vest, a white long sleeve suit underneath. Symbols were drawn on his vest, none of which he understood. His arms were behind his back, his gaze as stone as any rock. Black dress pants adorned his bottom half, shoes polished and clean. His posture saying to him that he had been waiting. For him, he wondered?

"Welcome, heir to the Cipher." He said, his voice matching his figure, but it felt very authoritative. "You've been called upon to restore order in the balance."

Heir to the Cipher, What was he talking about? He tried to respond back, but he couldn't speak. _How was this possible?_

The figure didn't take notice of his dilemma. "This tower before you," he motioned his arm, his hands bearing black gloves. "Seek this tower and climb upon its foundations to the top. There you will find the answers you will no doubt have." He placed his arm back behind, blinking once to show that he wasn't as stone as he looked. "Before I let you go, I will grant you a gift that will aid in your journey."

His brows furrowed, his eyes shined, his gaze pierced him like a knife. He felt another stab, he would've screamed again. This one was more intense than the other one, and he felt a strange, powerful sensation flowing through him. He couldn't close his eyes to help lessen the pain, just another thing he couldn't understand. The figure didn't break his fierce gaze, he just barely understanding that he was the cause of this pain.

It stopped, the figure lessened his fierce look, appearing satisfied from the work he did. "We shall meet again, heir to the Cipher." He bowed at that, taking one arm and formerly completing the sentiment. He vanished, as did the tower. Instantly the light was gone, and he was back in the darkness.

He heard birds, or he thought he heard birds. The sounds of nature playing their tune once again, but it was joined with a new melody. Sounds of life, full of energy bustling about in his darken world. He wanted to join the song, sing in harmony in which life sprung.

* * *

The Snivy opened his eyes, laying on a pile of pillows. He blinked lazily, stirring about in the calm home. He saw a creature in a corner, rummaging through books and notes scattered about. It was Servida, but of course he didn't know that.

She heard him and turned her head to look at the sleepy Snivy. The Snivy in response froze, not having seen her before and once again not knowing where he was. The last thing he remembered was a beast holding him and walking through many trees and bushes in the night.

He silently cursed himself for falling asleep, but he was so tired.

"Good morning, child," she started with a smile forming. "How are you feeling?"

 _Child?_ He relaxed a little, realizing this was probably the fox-like thing's home. "I'm…" _My voice…_ "...Fine."

She nodded, accepting the response and returning to her books. "If you have any questions that you want to ask, I'll be happy to answer."

He wondered if that was an invitation to ask just about everything he wished to know. He's assuming the two creatures that brought him to this home told her what he told them. He sat up, surprised that he was more used to this new body than he initially thought. He shook his arms, his short stubby feet, and his tail. They all moved accordingly with no strain on his part.

He then, thinking he was good to stand, scooted himself off the pillows. His stubby toes hit the wooden ground with a thud. He almost lost balance as he wasn't sure how he should be standing, but when he positioned his tail in a curve he found the balance he was looking for. He took a few baby steps, smiling to himself as he realized he had no problems walking about. It was like he had always been whatever he was, or a Snivy as those creatures called him.

His smile faded soon after. Only more questions rang in his head, some of which he was sure this creature before him would not be able to answer. He took in a breath, prepared to start the questions she politely invited.

"Where am I?" it was the first thing that came to mind. Maybe if he knew where he was, he could possibly remember something else. He didn't hold his breath, he didn't expect it to be that easy.

She nodded, not turning back as she read the contents of the text she had in front of her. "You're in Knothole in the center of Pecament Forest."

Nope, he didn't recognize any of those names as he knew that would be the case. At least he knows the name now for future references. "What am I?" His second question coming immediately forth.

She nodded again, as if expecting his second question to be exactly that. "You are a Snivy, a Pokémon that is grass based." She turned around to give her full undivided attention to the curious Snivy. "I am a Pokémon as well, a fairy based Eevee, or a Sylveon as others have called me."

 _Pokémon?_ So that is how they label themselves, he thought. Grass based and fairy based all flew past him unfortunately. "Is everyone here a Pokémon?"

"Yes, anyone that you see around here is a Pokémon. Some may be the same as others, but many will look different from you and me."

He felt uneasy, if everyone looked different but were still called Pokémon, he didn't think he would know the difference of a friendly one or one that would have no second thought of slicing him in two. "Is this whole forest filled with Pokémon?"

She nodded once more. "And it's not just this town and the surrounding forest. This entire world is filled with Pokémon of different varieties."

He looked toward the exit, noticing now that the sun was shining through. It looked to be well into the day as the lush green trees happily took in the heavenly light. He grew anxious. Here he was, this Snivy as he was called, not knowing what laid beyond in a supposed world filled with different creatures that are simply called Pokémon.

"Are all Pokémon friendly?" It was a silly thing to ask. He knew that was definitely not the case, but if he was going to be living here...

"You really don't remember anything, do you?"

The look on her face made him sigh. She was making a face a mother could when she's worried for her children. "No, I don't," he started. "When I came to, I was in the forest and couldn't move. No one was around me, I was by myself for a good while before three," he stopped briefly to find the word to, "Pokémon came and healed me with some seeds."

"And that's all you can remember?"

He nodded sadly. "Honest, I don't know anything about where I am, who I am, or anything for that matter. I don't know how else to explain."

She hummed, puckering her muzzle as she did so. She looked confused, which didn't help him ease him. "Well, I suppose we can start with some introductions," she smiled. "My name is Servida, I'm the town's doctor." She curtsey the best she could, bending her front legs and bowing slightly.

"A doctor?" he suddenly had hope. "Does that mean you can tell me what happened to me?"

Her smile faltered upon hearing that question. She sighed and turned her head towards the books she was focused on before the Snivy woke up. "Unfortunately, I've done all I could to find the cause of what happened to you. The books can only tell me so much, but you're a case I've never had before."

His hope shattered, he looked away, disappointed. "I see."

"I am terribly sorry," she didn't turn to look back. "However, I am determined to find out the cause of your memory loss." She snapped back to him with a smile. "Amnesia isn't something I normally treat, but I have medication that could help bring back your memories."

He beamed at that, his hopes rekindled. "You have something that can do that?"

She nodded, but she quickly held up a paw. "But, don't get ahead of yourself. It's not guaranteed to work. Usually for amnesic patients, time is all they need for their memories to come back."

He nodded, his smile wide. "That's not a problem, just as long as I know I can remember what happened."

She briskly walked over to the other corner that contained vials. With her ribbon-like appendages, she quickly wrapped her ribbon around and pulled one of the vials from its slot. She grabbed a small glass cup and poured the substance into it. It had a green tint to it.

She placed the vial back and did the same thing to the cup. She walked over to the Snivy and offered the cup to him. He took the cup and looked at the contents, a funny odor coming from it.

"It might not taste good, but it _might_ get the job done," she said putting more emphasis on might.

He took the cup to his mouth, not being able to see the cup from underneath his snout. He tilted his head back and let the green liquid go in all at once. The taste of an extreme bitter and sour came forth. The taste made him almost spit the medicine out. He gulped it down, giving the cup back to Servida and standing there waiting for some weird sensation to hit him.

None did, which he didn't know if that meant it worked or not. He still couldn't recall anything, much to his dismay. He looked towards her, confused. "I don't feel anything different."

She smiled at that, "If it works, you won't feel anything. You'll simply regain your memories faster with this medicine."

He hummed, slightly disappointed as he looked toward the pillows he slept upon. He supposes that was the best anyone could do. He certainly wouldn't know there were medicines of that nature that could help. He looked back at her, another question popping in his mind.

"Do you know if there's anyone here that will recognize me?" he asked. Maybe he had always been this Snivy and was part of a family with different Pokémon? Her expression, however, showed what he knew to be the answer.

"I'm sorry, you're the first Snivy to enter this town as far as I'm aware of." She looked off toward the exit, admiring the beauty briefly. "There might be a family out there in the forest, but I don't have any records of any patient of mine that has a relative to a Snivy."

He pondered, maybe there was someone here in this town that could answer about his origins. "Is there anyone here that can tell me where a Snivy might live?"

"The interesting thing is," she started, "this area is the perfect place for your kind. Trees, fields of flowers, berries, and fresh water. You being a grass type would thrive in this forest. Honestly I'm surprised I've never seen your kind before until now."

"Grass type…" he trailed off. "What does that mean when you say that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," she replied with a smile. "You're a grass based Pokémon, your natural abilities help you survive any dangers the forest could throw at you."

"Natural abilities?" he repeated confused, not understanding what she meant.

"Yes, for example, I'm a fairy type, as I already said." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

He felt a breeze, but it wasn't coming from the exit. Next thing he knew, a small, swirling tornado formed around her. Her ribbons swaying along at the wind that she had summoned. He backed away from her, unsure if the wind was going to get stronger.

She opened her eyes, let out a long breath, and the wind vanished. "I can use the very air around me with my abilities. I can also heal any wounds that aren't fatal with my own life force. I can even enter someone's mind to help remove blocks of certain memories."

The last tidbit caught his attention. "Did you look into my mind?"

She nodded, but her expression saddened. "I wanted to hear you say that couldn't remember to confirm. I checked if there was anything locked away in your subconscious. I found nothing, you're the first patient with amnesia where I couldn't find a starting point to help point to a cause."

"It's alright," he sighed. "Just eager to start remembering anything." He looked down to his body, padding his foot on the wooden floor. "So, I have these grass abilities I can do?"

"That's correct, but I'm not sure how I can help you in that regard. That is something you must find on your own I'm afraid." She walked back to her books, picking up where she left off. "You're free to stay here if you wish. Though I encourage you to explore around town. We always have room for another Pokémon to be among us."

She was right, there was no use standing around here to wait for his memories to come back. He might as well use this time to look around and get a feel of this place if it's going to be his newfound home. At least until he figures out where to go from here.

"I can come back here and stay for the night, right?"

She smiled, but didn't show it to the Snivy. "Of course, child, you're more than welcome to come and stay."

 _Child_ , she said it again. He didn't feel like he was a child though. Was it because he was small, he wondered? Indeed, compared to this Sylveon, he was shorter than her, but not by much he thought. He ignored it though, maybe he was a child.

He gave her one last look before heading through the exit, the bright light engulfing him as he did so.

* * *

He squinted his eyes, the sun shining brightly in the sky. His eyes adjusted accordingly, his pupils squeezing shut to prevent too much light from coming through. He was in front of the Sylveon's house, he didn't expect it to actually look like a tree.

The cultural shock settled in quick. He heard the occasional bickering when he was inside Servida's home, but this place was beaming with all sorts of Pokémon. They were walking about going to destinations unknown, some of them idly chatting around the many tree-like homes, and even some of them screaming in laughter as they played.

He scanned his surroundings, no one really paid him too much attention. Some even passed him heading towards a small market square where dozens of Pokémon were bartering. Many fruits and vegetables were on display, an amazing aroma coming from them at his distance. He took in the scent, his stomach rumbling in response.

It dawned on him he would need to eat. He suddenly had a mission, to find something to eat. With purpose, he meandered over to the square, the scent he picked up growing stronger. He wondered if that was one of his abilities.

He walked past a group of Pokémon, none of them which paid any attention to the Snivy, and transfixed his nose to the scent he considered the best. He was being a bit reckless, now that he thought about how he's going straight into the midst of unknown creatures. Most of them towered him, reinforcing that he was incredibly small compared to the other Pokémon.

A sudden fear washed over him, he hoped these Pokémon wouldn't bump into him on accident. He didn't think he could withstand the weight some of them appear to be boasting. Some of them, he noticed, carried large packs on their backs. Whether they were travelers or locals, he definitely wouldn't be the person to know the distinction.

Servida was right when she said Pokémon were of different variety. Majority of these Pokémon looked nothing like the other as they traded away goods and foods. One Pokémon looked like it had a mushroom on its head. It was giving a small bag of apples to one that looked like a monkey with a hand-like tail. It grabbed the bag with its tail and gave some golden coins with its free arms. Another stand had two Pokémon arguing something about the price, the one handling the stand enlarging the flames on his neck and shoulder in response.

He worked his way around the crowding square, keeping his fear in check as he followed the scent. Eventually he found what his nose picked up, green looking berries. His mouth started to salivate, the aroma strong in his nose. No other Pokémon appeared to be by this particular stand. He, not thinking, reached out for the delicious treat before something hissed at him.

Startled, he backed away and looked up. Behind the stand was a large, dark skinned, snake. Its red tinted eyes were angrily looking at the Snivy who tried to take the berries from its stand. Its sharp, equally red tinted, fangs making the snake look way more intimidating than the beast that saved him. He could somewhat see the tail, it shaking rapidly in response to the anger wretched in its eyes. He thought, despite his fear coming back, that the Snake had a very unique look to it with its gold and violet markings on its face and body.

"Watch where your hand goesss before buying," the snake said threatening with a scratchy voice elongating his 's's.

"S-sorry," he nervously responded. His instincts were screaming at him to grab the berry in front and feast upon the yummy fruit. He rejected the thought his body wanted him to do, least he somehow fight off this snake that looked four times bigger than him.

The snake didn't drop his furious stare. The Snivy didn't know how to buy one of those berries that he wanted. He recalled the gold coins that monkey Pokémon gave, but he didn't have anything that he could give to this snake. He just stood there, longing for the berry.

 _Then something happened, something that caught him completely off guard. In a flash, his vision blurred just around the edges and he was looking at the same snake hissing at another Pokémon covered in white hair. He had no control over his body anymore, it looked like he was hovering slightly above the ground as he witnessed this._

" _Or else what, stupid?" the white haired one started, "gonna do something about it or stare at me with those awful eyes?"_

 _The snake lunged at the Pokémon, knocking over his stand._

Then he was back staring at the berry. He almost lost his balance as he regained control of his body. The snake didn't pay any attention to his stumble, he still had that frightening look.

"If you have no busssinesss, go away!" the snake hissed at him. Clearly this Pokémon was one of the unfriendlier ones. The Snivy, too scared and confused to be disappointed, walked quickly away from the threatening snake.

He walked around for a little while longer, trying to understand what that was all about. He wanted the berry, but he suddenly daydreamt the snake attacking another Pokémon quite vividly. What caused him to suddenly daydream in the middle of the square?

He had an idea, maybe that was a memory? If it was a memory, why was he hovering? Didn't make any sense, the area looked exactly the same as he saw it. He dismissed it and sighed, his stomach rumbling again. He held his stomach, looking at the stands filled with fruits. He had to find a way to get some of those gold coins, he assumed it was this world's currency.

Maybe he should go back to Servida and ask how one could get some gold coins? Or maybe perhaps she has some that she could give? _No, she already helped me enough._ She had already offered a place to stay, he didn't want to burden her anymore with money and food. Though he did think going back and asking her how to get some would be a good start. He didn't want to ask any of the other Pokémon walking about unless he wanted to be thought of as strange.

With a new goal in mind, he started heading back the way he came from. He passed the snake's stand without looking at it, hoping the snake was also ignoring him. That's as far as he got though before he heard a familiar hiss. He froze in place, but the hiss wasn't at him. He turned around to find the snake giving the same angry look to another Pokémon. This one had white flowing hair that almost scraped the ground it stood. Its body appeared to be consisted of wood, yellow eyes glaring back at the snake unwavering with the green berry in its leafy hands.

It appeared to be smirking at the snake as a taunt, despite the Pokémon looking smaller than the snake. The Snivy widened his eyes as he recognized that it was the Pokémon in his sudden daydream session.

"Put it back, ssscum!" the snake hissed loudly making other Pokémon around look at the commotion.

"Sorry, can't hear you with that ridiculous accent of yours," the white haired Pokémon jeered. "Maybe if you were a bit nicer to your customers…"

The snake hissed again, somehow even louder than the last. "I don't need you to harasss me, ssscum!"

"Tell you what, maybe if you learn how to talk, you can have this berry back, huh?"

The snake started to tremble in anger. He squinted his eyes and hissed loudly at the rude Pokémon. "Watch your tongue or-"

"Or else what, stupid?" he interrupted. "Gonna do something about it or stare at me with those awful eyes?"

That was the trigger, the snake lunged forth, knocking over his stand sending the assortments of fruits into the air. Everyone collectively gasped as the stand crashed down, some wood breaking off from the sudden force the snake put on it. The Pokémon that taunted only smirked at the snake's action.

With uncanny speed, the white hair one jumped over the crashing snake as it pounded its head against another stand that was unfortunate enough to be in front. The other stand knocked over, making the Pokémon who owned it dive out of the way as his goods fell back towards it. The white hair Pokémon landed on the snake's back, positioning himself so he could comfortably stand on the smooth surface.

It all happened so fast. The Snivy, as well as the other Pokémon, were still processing the single event that just transpired. The white haired Pokémon still had the berry in his leafy hands. "Man, you're angry today, your wife not giving you enough love?"

 _Once again, the Snivy's vision blurred and he was watching the scene at a different angle. He could even see himself looking horror-stricken with the crowd of Pokémon behind him. For once he could see what he looked like from the outside, but that was not what his attention paid to. The snake just missed the white haired Pokémon and collided with the dirt. It's tail then, glistening in the sun, went and attempted to stab the Pokémon. He jumped out of the way and the snake stabbed himself causing him to shriek._

He was instantly back facing the commotion in front of him, the snake having never stabbed himself at all and the white haired Pokémon still taunting on the snake's back.

"What… was that…?" the Snivy mumbled to himself.

The snake hissed, snapping his head to attack the Pokémon upon his backside. The white haired one jumped away before the snake's fangs could do anything. The snake didn't stop and readjusted its lunge in the new direction the white haired one went. He landed on the ground, smirking as if he anticipated the snake to follow him.

He dashed under the snake, making him dive head first to the dirt, his fruits scattered around him. He didn't give up, he raised his head again, looking at the white haired Pokémon with a lust for blood. Using his tail, which the Snivy was quick to recognize had an incredibly sharp arrow head at the tip, whipped it toward the dashing Pokémon. He got close to the snake and jumped away.

The snake realized too late what the white haired one was trying to do. The tip of his tail pierced his skin, making the snake cry out and hiss uncontrollably. He managed to pull the tip out, but a venomous substance started dripping out of the tail. It looked like the damage was already done, the snake curled and shook violently on the ground.

The Snivy, not understanding that he just witnessed the snake stab himself again, cringed at the ungodly cries it made. The snake suffering from his own poison, his eyes wide and crazed, filled with unimaginable pain. The white haired Pokémon made sure to stand in front of the strugglingly snake, the berry still in hand.

"Shouldn't have done that, loser."

 _Again he saw another view. The snake lashed out with bloodlusting eyes with its tail as it continued to shriek and hiss from the poison. He missed the white haired one who quickly came to the Snake's neck and slashed at it with his apparently now sharp leaf blades. It gurgled as it's maw went wide, blood gushing out from the clean cut._

The Snivy snapped back, seeing the white haired Pokémon eating the berry in front of the snake. He didn't know what was happening, but the Snivy clenched his fist. He didn't know how or why, but he believes he was seeing into the future briefly. If that next vision came true…

The snake shrieked and thumped around seeing the Pokémon eat his berry. It dazely lifted its head from the ground, looking to strike again with those bloodthirsty eyes.

The Snivy gasped. "No stop!" he cried out.

The white haired one turn around hearing the Snivy, but the snake didn't stop. He lashed his tail towards the Pokémon at a frightening speed. The white haired one turned around just in time to dodge it and he dashed to the snake's neck.

"Stop!" the snivy cried louder, his eyes wide in a blind panic as he knew what would happen next.

Too late, with his razor-like leaves that formed on his hand, he slashed at the snake's neck making a clean cut. The snake let out a gurgled scream as blood instantly shot out from the blow. The wound looking painstakingly deep. The Snivy reached out at the scene, hoping that somehow that would do something different.

The snake gave more gurgled screams as it sporadically twitched before going limp from the blood loss and the poison. Either it had passed out or it died right there and then, or it's about to die. No one did anything, they just watched as this Pokémon murdered this snake.

The white haired one looked around, looking at all the shocked faces it knew it had caused. His eyes found the Snivy who was frozen with his arms out. He smirked at him, showing he didn't even care that he just murdered in cold blood.

"Sorry, was he a friend of yours, little man?" he asked mockingly.

"Murderer!" someone cried out.

Suddenly the crowd became a chaotic storm. Pokémon started running for him, some running away, some taking cover in the shelter in the other stands. The white haired Pokémon stiffened his posture as he watched the approaching mob. He jumped from the center before they could even gang up and he was hopping away on the tops of stands and nearby trees.

He was soon gone, leaving the Pokémon either chasing the fleeing one or standing there staring at the limp snake who's blood continued to gush out.

"Someone, anyone, Reviver Seeds!"

"I got some right here!"

"Quick, quick!"

Several Pokémon came rushing to the limp snake. Force feeding the guy with the seeds.

"Is someone here a doctor?"

"Anyone a healer?"

"Quick someone get the Sylveon!"

"Anyone?"

The snake didn't move, even after they forced the seeds down his throat. The Snivy didn't move, he was too much in shock to do anything, he was still frozen with his arms stretched out and eyes wide.

"Move out of the way!"

"She's coming!"

"Make way!"

Servida came rushing down the path and gasped at the scene in front of her. She went up to the snake and instantly closed her eyes to concentrate. Wind started to pick up as she tapped into her power. She stopped though and sighed, opening her eyes sadly. They were too late to save him.

"What's happening?"

"Did you heal him?"

"Who was that guy?"

She shook her head at all the ones who were trying to help the snake. "He's gone, I'm sorry."

No one said anything, they all looked at the fallen snake. Each and every one of them had that white haired Pokémon etched in their mind who smirked at his kill.

The Snivy collapsed leaning forward, stopping himself from falling face first as he outstretched his arms to catch him. He started to shake, feeling miserable and sick.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun, shining a gorgeous orange hue, was ready to set as it appeared to be almost resting atop the forest. It's beautiful presence did not help the mood the town of Knothole was in. All sorts of Pokémon stood in the now empty square surrounded by an assortment of candles. What was once a bustling area was now quiet as they mourned the loss of one of their own.

The Snivy was within the solemn crowd, looking down with his hands cupped together in his front. Servida was next to him, her ribbons lightly caressing the Snivy as she stared off to the monument the town had built. They were relatively quick to make the wooden monument, the Pokémon that could easily cut wood and produce flora making it seem like they were masters at this very sort of thing.

The snake, clean from the blood and venom that dotted his body before, laid on the center of the monument surrounded with an assortment of flowers. His expression was fixed to look like it was at peace, his eyes closed, as if he was just sleeping there.

The gurgled scream and the sight of the snake was still fresh in the Snivy's mind. He saw it happen before it happened, even if they were relatively close to each other. He could've done something to stop, spring into action to stop that wicked Pokémon from doing the deed.

But he didn't, he just stood there and cried out. For the rest of the day he did nothing but blame himself for not stopping what he saw, even though he knew there was simply no way for him to do anything about it. He wouldn't know that unless he tried, but he didn't. It made him furious to think how stupid he was for not realizing he was seeing visions before they were happening.

He shuddered, Servida quick to reinforce her caressing ribbons. He told Servida about what he saw and the visions he had that went along with it, thinking it was an ability of some sort. She was confused when he told her, saying that she never heard of any Pokémon being able to see into the future. She saw that he was distressed and offered him food in the middle of that chaos.

The berry she gave him was still clutched in his cupped hands. That had been hours ago. He hadn't eaten all day, but he simply wasn't hungry. His first experience in this new world tainted him in such a way that he didn't register that his body wanted nourishment.

The Pokémon that ran after the fleeing white haired one came back empty handed. He saw the three others that he met on his first night. They were standing a little bit away from where he and Servida stood. The Snivy explained the same thing to them when he saw them approaching. They too didn't know anyone that could see into the future. They even went so far to dismiss it, but they had a look of grim realization when the Snivy described the Pokémon that committed the act.

"Him too now?" The beast named Colb had said. The dragon had the look of sorrow when he asked that question to no one in particular. "We used to have a drink together when we decided to take on missions." The frog, Gadda, tried his best to comfort the beast when he began to tear up. The floating one, Frose, silent in the back as she took pity.

Colb had since finished spilling his tears and had his eyes closed. He was in the middle of the other two who held the same pose. Of course the Snivy still has yet to learn their names, not that he was in any hurry to get them.

Standing in front of the monument were a trio of similar looking snakes all varying in size and patterning. The larger of the three was curled with the other two who were openly crying on its dark scaley skin. It was the deceased snake's wife and the two were their children.

The Snivy remembered the look of disbelief when she slithered slowly towards the corpse of her husband. It was the complete opposite the snake had showed him earlier in the day. She didn't utter a single word the entire time as she curled up with her husband. She wouldn't move for the longest time, too shocked to accept the death no doubt.

She still wore his blood on her face, refusing to be cleaned.

He squeezed the berry in his hands. _So stupid, I could've done something about this._

A group parted when another Pokémon walked towards the middle. The Snivy looked up to see a green haired creature, the hair curled naturally as it looked like it curved upwards at the ends. She had golden earrings that swayed with her drifting motions. She adorned what looked like a white dress that matched her equally white face giving her a ghastly appearance.

The Snivy felt a familiar sensation when the floating one approached him in the forest. His mind was at an ease, but he didn't let that stop him from continuing on his guilt trip. The others appeared to feel the same as he did, they all looked up with a distant, sad look.

She approached the trio, the mother turning her head to look at the green haired Pokémon. The children collectively gazed at the Pokémon with teary eyes. She spoke something to them, the wife listening intently to whatever she was saying. She gave a look to her husband before turning back and nodding.

The green haired one approached the body, looking down at the resting husband as she took her green arms and bowed at him respectfully. She turned around and took in all the eyes that were upon her.

"Pokémon of Knothole!" she yelled, getting the attention to those who still had their eyes closed in mourning. "We, the guardians of our home, and I, the guildmaster and protector, have come forth this evening of two family members who we lost today."

 _Two?_ The Snivy quickly assumed whom this Pokémon meant after seeing the beast shed tears earlier.

"As your protector, I formally apologize for the failure I have committed. It is not my desire to have wicked Pokémon enter our midst and commit vulgar acts of destruction. I do not know how one with the dark has entered this sacred forest, but fear not as I have reinforced the spell which drives off the wicked creatures that only answer to the pure darkness."

"The two we have lost today is unforgivable. We will pay homage to the ones who we lost today, beginning with sending this one back to the light which gave birth to us all!"

She turned towards the husband, staring intently at the deceased body as she placed the palm of her hands slightly above him. "Seren the Seviper, may your journey to the light be of peace and harmony!"

A light suddenly appeared enveloping both her and the husband. The intense blast of light resonating a power the Snivy could not comprehend. A moment later the light vanished. She had her palms still out where she left them, but the body was no longer there. Instead, a great ball of light hovered just above her, floating about in the sunset sky.

The Snivy had a sense of déja vu, like he somehow seen this very light before. It was a blue color, a multitude of colors resonating off of it. The green haired Pokémon motioned something with her arm and the light looked to be getting sucked away instantaneously. The light was gone in a flash, the green haired one moving her arms down as she drew a breath.

She turned to the crowd and paused before continuing. "Unfortunately we have lost Sineh the Shiftry. He ventured too far away from this sacred forest and was consumed by the darkness. We can only pray that his suffering will be a quick and painless one."

"I caution you all to stay within the safety of this forest. Darkness is slowly advancing to our home, but with courage we will drive them away with our light. I swore to protect the people of this town, I extend my my oath to include all of Pecament Forest. That I promise you all!"

She motioned her arms in front of her and rotated them about. She stopped when her hands were directly on top of each other, palm facing each other. "Light to the Termas."

Everyone that could did the same motion, except the Snivy, repeating the words she spoke. _"Light to the Termas."_

The wife then looked pleadingly at the green haired one. She nodded at her and then extended her arms out. The crowd began to disperse, beginning to talk quietly to one another as they took that as a signal to leave. The Snivy and Sylveon didn't follow, she was still caressing him with her ribbons.

The other three joined them, Colb looking at the Snivy with that same solemn expression everyone else had. "I'm sorry you had to witness something so gruesome on your first day here."

The Snivy didn't reply. He looked off to the family of three who were still huddled about. He'd imagine the mother would not move from that spot. Not even when the sun has descended with the night following. _If only I reacted._

"I'm fine." It was a very obvious lie, but he didn't know what to say in response. He squeezed the berry in his hands again.

Frose floated over to beast and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your friend, Colb."

He sighed, closing his eyes as he grabbed a hold of her hand. "Don't be, I haven't heard from him in a while. Don't think anyone who he was friends with knew where he went."

Gadda shook his head at him with a faint grunt. His tongue wasn't wrapped around his neck. His face telling that he didn't like what Colb had said.

"Come on, you know as much as I do, Gadda," the beast responded to the grunt. "Besides, you don't need to tell me that I'm hiding my feelings."

The frog tsked at him, folding his arms as he didn't give up his unsatisfied gaze.

Footsteps were heard approaching, the group collectively gazed to their new visitor. It was the Pokémon that had given the speech, the guildmaster as she labeled herself. Her attention was on the Snivy with a curious look.

"Pardon me, young one," she started. "But I wish to speak to you in private."

The group looked each other, confused at such a request. The Snivy looked indifferent, recalling Colb mentioning briefly about a guildmaster when they found him.

"Guildmaster?" Colb started uncertainly.

She raised her palm up. "I merely want to speak with this young Snivy, Colb. Nothing more." She motioned the Snivy to follow. The Snivy, first looking at the group uncertainly, hesitantly walked with her. They approached an empty stand where no one was within hearing range. She stared intently down at the Snivy with her piercing violet eyes. In contrast to the fading orange backdrop the sky provided, she looked threatening.

"Have you experienced any visions, young one?"

His eyes widened, the question ringing in his ears not quite registering. Her look didn't change upon his reaction, still giving that piercing stare.

"I see." She turned away, looking lost in thought. "So it really is time." She turned back, her expression determined. "Listen to me, young one, and listen well. You must leave here at once and travel to Mount Lumos far north from here. I can't explain in detail, but you must travel immediately or all will be lost."

The sudden request made the Snivy back away. Her voice was commanding, he couldn't find the courage to ask why she wanted him to go and for what reason.

"I know you don't have your memories, but please trust me, young one. You are destined to go to Mount Lumos, the light has summoned you forth to do this deed."

His mouth opened up disbelievingly. Did she know who he was? He couldn't contain the question that spilt forth. "Do you know who I am?"

"That is not important right now," she responded. "I will allow you to stay here to rest for the evening, but you must depart the earliest the sun shall rise. Failure to depart will mean destruction to not only this forest, but the entire world." She bowed to him. "May the light shine on your path, heir to the Cipher."

 _Heir to the Cipher, huh?_ She walked away from him, leaving him with a confused shock expression. She walked passed the family of three, giving the wife a comforting pat before continuing on to a direction in town he didn't quite get to.

He turned around and walked back to the group who all waited, berry still cupped in hand. When he returned, Colb quickly jumped with a question. "What did the guildmaster say?"

Gadda tsked again, looking annoyed at Colby's butting question. Frose, however, replied to Colb's question. "If I'm right, the guildmaster realized who this Snivy was."

Snivy paid her more attention hearing that, did she know something as well? He nodded at her to continue on. Servida looked curiously at Frose to hear what she had to say.

"The old texts have always cited one that has been summoned by the light," she explained. "I've heard stories of chosen ones appearing when times were dire. I never knew a chosen one could be one of the tykes."

"Chosen one? Wait, you don't mean what the instructors told us when we were still hatchlings, do you?" Colb asked not believing that the explanation was true.

"The very one," she replied, her eyes unmoving from the Snivy's eager ones. "And I believe this Snivy was chosen."

The others looked at the Snivy with newfound interest. Servida looked away sadly, finding this sudden revelation not amusing.

"Impossible, he's just a kid, Frose!" the orange dragon said fiercely causing the fire at the end of his tail to flair up slightly.

"I have to agree with Colb here," Servida piped up still not looking. "It seems like a sudden burden to put on such a child who's still unsure of who he is."

"But I think that's why the guildmaster told us to rescue a Snivy that was near the coast," Frose interjected.

Colb gasped in realization, he did another take on the Snivy with wide eyes. "Well I'll be darn. Did the guildmaster say you were the chosen one?"

The Snivy, taking in all the info he was receiving, shakily nodded at the dragon. "Said I was an heir to, I think some Cipher. I don't know what that means."

"Yes, you are the heir to the Cipher, lil guy," Frose reaffirmed. "I don't know what that means either unfortunately. That's just what I've read in the old texts."

"Wow, I can't believe this squirt is the chosen one." Colb tapped his clawed foot to the ground impatiently. "But why is he here then?"

"She said something about me having to go to some mountain far away from here." The Snivy replied, not knowing if that was the answer he wanted. "Said I needed to leave tomorrow at the crack of dawn."

Servida gasped at that, the other three simply looked highly amused at that.

"What, really?" Colb asked.

"Yeah, said that if I stay here that the destruction of this place will come." He left out the world part, he not really understand all that much himself.

Servida bit her bottom lip, she approached the Snivy with sad eyes. "I know exactly where she wants you to go, child."

"As do I," Frose segued in. "Mount Lumos, a place of death and despair. No one has ever come back from that place if one was foolish enough to venture those lands."

This made the Snivy lose some color on his green skin. His anxiety was very apparent as he looked at the group with wide eyes. "But, I don't even know what a Cipher is, or how to defend myself, or do anything!"

Servida got closer to the Snivy and caressed him again with her ribbons. This didn't make him feel any better. The guildmaster was quick to tell him that he needed to go to apparently the most dangerous place. She even knew he didn't have any memories, so why did she suddenly task him with something when he didn't even know himself?

It was nerve wracking, his body shook uncontrollably at the sudden responsibility he had been given. A responsibility that somehow decided if this forest and, perhaps, the world would be destroyed as the guildmaster said. It was simply too much for him to handle.

"No way can this squirt even reach Mount Lumos borders. Has the guildmaster gone mad?"

Frose angrily leered at the dragon, but he didn't let up.

"I'm sorry, but how is the guildmaster expecting a kid to reach the mountain on his own? Never mind the other harsh lands that separate its borders."

"Maybe she chose us to rescue him because we are the ones to escort him to the mountain?" she responded annoyed.

The beast stopped in place again and sighed. "Oh come on, why didn't I think of that?" he asked more to himself.

"How can the guildmaster expect this child to go as soon as tomorrow?" Servida interjected. "He's not in any condition to go out in the forest, nevermind Mount Lumos. Traveling to that place will take months, if not more!"

"Sorry, Serv," Frose sighed. "You know as well as anyone that what the guildmaster says, goes. If this lil one doesn't leave tomorrow, she will make him leave."

Servida grunted in frustration. She also sighed, closing her eyes in doing so as she held the Snivy who was still at a loss. "This is so unfair for this child."

"I know, Serv." Frose motioned Colb and Gadda. "We should get some rest then while we still can." She looked up at the sky, the sun had already set and a purple cast replaced the orange hue. "I'm only assuming of course, but I believe we'll be summoned for when you depart, lil one."

"Hey, there's no way I'm letting that squirt go alone." Colb said with a small smile. "I'm coming along with him whether the guildmaster likes it or not!"

Gadda, who had stayed silent, gave a thumbs up to the Snivy as he smiled. Frose nodded to the both of them before turning to Servida and the Snivy. "And there you have it, lil one. Know you'll be traveling with us on this, no doubt, dangerous journey."

The Snivy only stared at them, unsure of what to say. "You've only known me less than a day and you're offering to protect me?" He was quick to regret saying that, hoping it didn't come off as rude. The influx of information and what has happened in less than twenty four hours of him existing still rummaging through his head. His eyes began to water, he sniffed as his snout began to clog. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't sweat it kid, it's what we do," the dragon replied, winking and giving him the thumb ups with his claws.

With a wave and some goodbyes, they walked off towards the direction the guildmaster headed to. Servida and the Snivy stared off until they disappeared behind a bend in the trees. Servida then tugged at the Snivy, turning around to walk back towards her home. The Snivy followed, but not before seeing if the wife and children were still there around the candles.

They were still there, gazing at the monument with eyes that would make anyone cry.

* * *

Servida, lighting a fire stove, began to stir some ingredients in a steel pot. Daylight had finally passed and now only dark shown itself outside from the exit. The Snivy sat by the clump of pillows he slept on previously, looking down at the dried out berry in his hands he had most certainly squeezed and not realize it.

The smell in the air made the Snivy's stomach grumble, but he ignored it. More pressing matters were swarming his mind as he continued to take in everything he had learned today. _Why didn't they believe I had those visions?_ Only the guildmaster seem to know that he somehow possessed visions. Was that part of being the heir of this Cipher?

He sighed, clutching at the dried berry once more. He really wished he knew more than what was told to him. He wondered if he would ever get his memories back. For now all he could go on was the very short version of what the guildmaster told him.

"Servida…"

The Sylveon turned her head with a small smile, but kept on stirring the contents of the pot. "Yes, Sniven?"

"Sniven?" he repeated confused.

"Well yeah, you don't remember your name, right?" she asked.

He saw where she was going with this. He smiled at her, the first genuine smile he gave since leaving her home. "That's right."

She smiled wider at seeing him lighten up. "There's a smile!"

The Snivy chuckled, liking the light hearted small talk. "Sniven, huh?"

"You like it?"

He nodded, honestly liking how the name flowed and was simply a play on what he was called. "I do."

"I figured with all that has happened today, you should have a proper name than everyone formally calling you by your kind's name."

He chuckled again. "I suppose that is true." A question popped in his head. "Is that how other Pokémon greet each other?"

She nodded, turning back to her stirring with that wide smile still on her face. "Yes, we are extremely diverse as you probably found out today. Usually when a Rescue Team goes out and brings me new patients to heal, I greet them by their species name."

She took a sip of the contents, her ribbons pulling the ladle out to do just that before putting back and stirring. "The actual name that we grow with usually is never uttered unless it's to close acquaintances, friends, family." She turned her head again with that smile. "Even though you were brought here like the others, there's something about you I felt that I needed to tell you my name when you first woke up."

The Snivy simply smiled at that, he was glad that she felt that way to reveal her name. He had simply thought it was just a courteous gesture, he didn't know it had a deeper meaning. "Well, thank you for giving me a name too, Servida."

She happily yipped, the first time the Snivy heard a noise like that coming from her. She turned back to the pot, leaving the Snivy feeling incredibly warm and welcomed. The smell of the food she was making making his stomach rumble once again.

"I hear that stomach of yours, mister," she teased. "That's what you get for not eating that berry!"

He laughed softly, looking down at the dried berry again. "It's not too late for me to eat it, y'know."

"It'll taste gross," she laughed. "Besides, wouldn't you want this tasty soup instead of that shriveled berry?"

"You make a hard bargain," he played while laughing along. "What's in it for me?"

"Your stomach feeling better, for starters."

The Snivy shook his head. "Fine, it's a deal."

She took the ladle and walked over to the Snivy. She stretched her ribbon out and shook the contents in front of the Snivy's mouth. "Well then, open up, mister!"

He happily complied, feeling the soup cross over his tongue before going down. It tasted amazing, like a series of green vegetables sauced with just the right seasoning. He moaned happily as the taste filled his tongue. "Oh wow, this is amazing."

She took the ladle and walked back to the stove. "One of my specialty meals I learned over the years. It's a recipe I don't make often, but I think tonight fits the bill for it to make an appearance."

"I can see why, I wouldn't want to be spoiled by this amazing meal every day."

"I can tell you how to make it." She went over to where the vials were stacked and grabbed a couple of bowls. She walked back over and began to pour the soup in both bowls. "The journey you will be making might make it impossible for you make, but for when you do come across these herbs..." She scooted some vegetables and grains towards the Snivy to see. "...They look like these and are easily available in the forest."

The Snivy studied the vegetables. The veiny leaf of a cabbage-like vegetable was the biggest of the bunch. The carrot next to it was almost matching the size, but was thinner and longer. A bunch of green pods that looked like he could pluck whatever contents were in its soft texture were next in line. Finally there was one fruit, it was a green berry, the one piece of fruit that he determined was the best scent.

He wanted to memorize those vegetables, maybe he could make the amazing soup when the time was right? "I'll make sure to keep a lookout for them, thank you."

She walked over and gave a bowl to the Snivy. She sat next to him on the wooden floor, holding her own bowl near her muzzle and began to sip its contents. "When you leave tomorrow, do you think you'll ever come back to this town?"

The Snivy took his own sip, savouring that amazing flavor before gulping it happily down. "Definitely, I know it's only been a day, but this place I feel could very well be my home. I feel like I belong here in this town." He was sincere, but he thought it could just be because this was the first area he laid eyes on. Like a baby seeing someone close by for the first time and thinking it was their mother. He felt sure that it wasn't the case though.

"Yeah, this place is perfect for you, you know?" She took another sip. "Maybe when you come back, you could live with me?"

The Snivy was taken back, but he smiled all the same. "I would be honored, thank you."

She set the bowl on the floor, halfway eaten. She looked down at it, smiling. Tears started to form in her blue eyes as she gazed at the swirling contents of the bowl.

The Snivy looked over to see she was starting to tear up. He gasped, not knowing what was wrong. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I…" She sniffed, a tear trickeling down her cheek. "I feel like I haven't had a friend in years." She looked back at the Snivy with wet eyes. "I felt something special about you when I first laid eyes when Frose and the others carried you in. Like it was destined for you to come and have your memories lost."

The Snivy only stared sadly, listening as she let her heart out.

"When you said the guildmaster asked you to go to Mount Lumos, my dream was shattered. I thought... I could have a child of my own. To help make you grow and relearn all the wonderful things of this world."

"So, please," she sniffed, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "Please come back safe, I've never felt such a powerful connection to someone in all my years."

She leaned toward the Snivy, her ribbons caressing him again as she openly wept. The Snivy, having no idea what to say, set his bowl down and tried his best to hug back with his small arms and patted her. "I'll come back, I promise," he said sincerely.

"D-don't make empty promises," she hiccupped. "Just say you'll come back, that's g-good enough, Sniven."

"Alright, then I won't promise," he said softly. "I'll come back." He patted at her, letting her weep as he thought of the heartfelt words she just shared. "How about you come with us then?"

She sniffed, ruffling her head to have one of her watering eyes look at him. "I would, Sniven, but I have my duties here." She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I'm the town's doctor, I can't abandon the Pokémon here. They need me."

He looked sadly at her, understanding what she meant. He nodded, accepting the answer. "Well then be the best doctor you possibly can be." He smiled. "When I come back, I'll make sure to visit you first."

She sniffed again, smiling back through her tears. "I would love that."

He patted her again before turning about to pick the bowl from the ground. "Now come on, let's eat this amazing dish!"

She chuckled, sitting upright again and picking her bowl. "If you do find those herbs on your travel, make sure you remember me, won't you?"

"Of course." He slurped the last of his bowl with a smile. "I'll never forget you, Servida."

They ate in silence, the smile on the Sylveon's wet face showing she was content with spilling her heart for this Snivy she had dubbed Sniven.

* * *

In the deepest corners of a vast canyon, where clay towers stood tall and grand upon the wasteland, sat a figure on top one of the dried rocks. He looked off to the wasteland, his cyan eyes shining through the darkness the night provided. The wind blowing harshly making his short black hair ruffled in the arid climate.

He wore a white leather jacket, it glistened from the moonlight that was somewhat obscured from one of the towering clay structures. His white pants, tight to his leg, had buckles upon it locked in place. His white shoes finishing his matching attire, also buckled in tight. His skin was pale as well, only complimenting what he wore.

"So, it has begun," the figure mumbled, his eyes shooting upwards to the sky. He stared at a very small red speck in the night sky. It looked extremely far away, beyond the heavens even. But he knew exactly what that was, his eyes fierce and shining.

"Indeed." Someone appeared instantly behind the figure, looking similar to him, but with pink eyes and a long ponytail tied behind her back. "Should be fun, no?"

The cyan one huffed, closing his eyes with a smile. "I would think so, the Cipher has been activated after all."

She hummed, looking at the tiny red speck in the sky. "What do you think will happen?"

He opened his eyes again to gaze at the speck. His eyes began to shine, as if looking at the speck gave his eyes a fierce glow. He closed them again though when he shook his head. "I actually don't know this time."

"You too?" She looked puzzled at the speck. "Thought it was just me, huh."

He shook his head, smiling. "I wouldn't get my hopes up, but if this is the one..."

"It still has a long way to go," she interrupted him. "Maybe we can't see it because it's just the beginning?"

He hummed, but he knew that wasn't the case. This very phenomenon has been happening ever since he could recall. Each one always ended the same way, he didn't think this one would be any different.

The lack of a vision though has given him hope. He smiled, maybe this time, the curse could be lifted.

* * *

 **ANSWERING TO REVIEWS: (This section may or may not be deleted depending if and or when I finish this story as I find it cluttering. However, it's the only way I can think of to answer to reviews.)**

 **Qngff: Thanks, I know there were problems when I uploaded the first chapter! I'll try my best to keep the tense issues and grammar inconsistencies as low as possible, but don't be surprised if you reread a chapter or two that a word or two got changed around for the better. Like the "Snivy eye wide" to "Snivy wide eye"!**

 **As for the Dimensional Scream, that was completely by accident. Might as well come clean, but I've never played the second game to be honest. That was just a happy mistake that somehow happened. With that out of the way, now I'm probably gonna get bombarded (read: a few) of lore issues. If there are lore issues, then I'll happily label this as AU or something. I feel like the PMD brand is open for interpretation for story telling, hahaha.**

 **~~~0~~~**

 **Dungeonation: In the time that I'm going to submit this, you've already expressed wanting to keep going a short while ago. Huzzah! Your wish is granted! Thanks for the words of encouragement and I hope you keep enjoying the read!**


	4. Chapter 4

A knock was sounded. The taps were light but firm to let anyone know someone was at the entrance. It was dark in the cozy home. Lights were out, the dishes were pushed aside, the aroma of the soup had not yet dissipated.

Sniven laid with his eyes open on the pillows. He couldn't sleep very well when Servida had put out lights. His mind didn't let up from the knowledge he had gain. His mind raced, seeking anything that would make any sense.

He didn't move when he heard the knock. He knew full well that it must be almost dawn. Not that he could see a crack of light from the exit, but why else would there be a knock? Servida on the other hand stirred when she heard the knock, raising her head from her curled form. Her eyes were groggy, looking as if she hadn't slept very well herself.

She looked over to Sniven. He returned the gaze, but no smile was on his face to greet her eyes. Both knew that it was time, their twenty four hour session together over. She lazily got up and went straight for the exit. Sniven reluctantly sat up from the pillows and yawned. He wished he could have rested, if only a little better.

He could hear voices, they were soft and too quiet for Sniven to hear. He could tell from the gruffness of one of them that it had to be the beast. He sighed, jumping from the pillows and walking through the dark home towards the exit.

"You sure you don't want to try sneak out with us?" Sniven heard Colb say. "Just say to the guildmaster that you have some errands to do or something."

"Colb, you know she can't do that," a female voice belonging to Frose had stated.

"No, it's fine," Servida's voice said. "I'm just tired is all."

Sniven went through the entrance to be back outside. The first thing he realized that it was a lot colder than he remembered it being. He folded his arms instinctively at the morning cold. He looked over nearby to see the trio and Servida talking amongst, Colb's tail being the only thing to light around them.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, didn't sleep a wink." Colb yawned, a soft growl coming from him. "Not a good start, but I've started missions before where I swear I had the case of the sneezes."

Frose caught the Snivy and waved. Sniven went forth to join in the flame's light, warming him slightly. "Good morning, lil one, sleep well?"

Sniven, once again at a loss of what to say, shook his head slowly looking defeated. Servida only gave him a concern look, her groggy eyes very apparent.

"Understandable," Frose said, reaching for her bag. That's when Sniven noticed the trio were all carrying bags, Colb being the one carrying the biggest of the bunch. He started to wonder if he should've done something to prepare, now that he realized.

She pulled out a strange looking armband. It was a starch yellow, a few symbols sown in the cloth. Sniven looked at her in confusion.

"This is a Stamina Band," she explained as she floated towards him. "This will keep you on your toes for the rest of the day today before we must stop and rest."

"Good idea, Frose." He reached into his own bag, fishing for an object. "Might need to have that on myself. Don't want to be too drowsy and cranky, huh?"

Gadda, his tongue neatly wrapped around his neck this time, rolled his eyes at Colb. He slapped Colb's claws out of the way making Colb yelp quietly in surprise.

"Hey, whatcha do that for?" he protested as Gadda fished inside his pack. He took out another armband with the same color and handed it to the beast. Colb snatched it out, his face contorted of a pouting child. "I've could've done that, come on man."

"You two, now's no time to be messing around." Frose had turned her head to give the two a disappointed look. "I'm one for morale, but we need to get moving."

"You're right, sorry Frose." Colb said looking at Gadda with a small smile. He had already slid the band on his left arm, the markings glowing for a brief second before returning back to normal. "I'll get back at this overgrown frog later."

Gadda replied with sighing, turning his entire body around to not even look at the beast. Frose clicked her tongue at them, but she turned her head back and outstretched her arms out.

"Here you are, lil one."

He took the band, it felt like silky cloth. It was smooth to the touch and he'd imagine it would easily drift in the air if he left go of the object. He took it to his right arm, the band slid easily through. At first he was afraid that it might be too big for him as it almost took the entire length of his arm. That fear turn to a sudden surprise when he saw the band glow and then contort to his arm.

It happened in under a second, the armband had simply scaled down considerably in size and was now neatly wrapped on his small wrist as if it was made specifically for his arm. He stared at the object in awe. Another thing to add in his mind that didn't make a lick of sense to him. He took note that he didn't feel as tired, but his body felt slightly weak.

Servida smiled at him. Sniven caught it, looking at her and then back to the band. _I thought... I could have a child of my own. To help make you grow and relearn all the wonderful things of this world._ The words repeated in his mind. He looked and smile back at her.

"Alright lil one, we can go as soon as you're ready." She looked to Servida with a sad gaze. "I feel like I just came back to this town too."

Servida chuckled at her. "Well, you are the leader of the best known Rescue Team in these parts."

"Yeah, one that is willing to go to an area where I know personally to be nothing but a huge death trap."

Servida bit her lip. "Well, I'm sure you guys can handle it. After all, _you guys get things done._ Or that's what I've heard anyways."

"Of course." She hovered over to Servida and wrapped her arms around her neck. "I'll see you again later, okay?"

She nodded, her smile still there. "You bet, Frossy." She returned the hug with her ribbons. "Stay safe for me?"

Frose smiled. "Definitely." She turned back towards Sniven with that smile frozen on her face.

Sniven suddenly felt he had just intruded on some sanction he was not welcomed. He made sure to rid that thought, it was their goodbyes afterall. _They've probably known each other for years._ As if reading his mind, the other two approached Servida and extended their goodbyes as well.

"This ain't the last time you've seen me," Colb stated with a grin. "I'll make sure the next time you see me, I'll be carrying a whole lot of Pecha Berries you won't even know where to keep them."

Gadda only walked up to her and extended his fins to her.

She shook their both their hands firmly. "Looking forward to it, Colb."

The group collectively turned to Sniven, waiting for him to say he's ready. He gulped, this was it, this was the starting point of this adventure he had been ushered into with no say. He shakily sighed and walked over to the group with an anxious expression.

"I'm ready, I guess," he said unsure. Not that he had a choice. The guildmaster's commanding voice played back in his head. There was something about her voice that made him not question her sudden request further. She didn't give him the chance either.

"Kid, I'll protect whatever the stinking wild throws at us," Colb said with a smile and flexed his arms. "I'll burn anything and everything if they so much show they want a piece of the Colb."

"Oh my goodness, please Colb," Frose pleaded.

"Right, right, we should get moving, I know." He cranked his head causing a very loud crack. He grunted, smirking to himself. "Lets do this."

Sniven was grateful for his antics. It made him feel a little bit better knowing he would be traveling with someone with an optimistic flare. He smiled slightly at Colb, learning his name in conversation, but still needing to formally asked him.

"Don't worry, I'm ready," he said again, this time with more vigor.

Frose nodded, motioning to them to follow, and that was it. Servida watched from afar as they made their way through the slumbering town, a crack of light already grazing the starry skies above.

Sniven glanced back at her, he saw her blue eyes wet again. He waved to her, she waved back with her forepaw. She turned away quickly, returning back to her home and out of sight.

* * *

He didn't realize how big this town was. Apparently he had only just seen a small quarter of it. He had been so preoccupied with the square his first day, not to mention the incident, that he didn't explore further. He felt like the tree-like homes would go on forever. He wondered how many Pokémon lived in this town.

They had passed the square, the candles were all burned out, and the snake family was not there. The monument still stood tall, it gave him goosebumps just looking at the simple construct when they quickly passed it.

A line of wooden buildings started to appear as the group continued their walk through the slumbering town. Some of them casting dim lights from the windows carved out. Sniven wondered if any sane Pokémon were up and about at this early hour. He imagined there must be, no one could be sleeping all at the same time.

Then they approached a building that was grandeur than any of the tree-like homes and wooden structures. Sniven craned his neck to see a towering structure at the edge of town. He was assuming it was the edge anyways since the trees grew denser behind this grand building.

It looked like it was made out of some type of metal. It shone a weak shean to showcase its own hard surface. The dark plating connected in symmetrical patterns. Black lines were etched into the tower, forming random square-like shapes that went around the cylinder structure.

Once again he got a sense of déja vu looking at this structure. He had the urge to climb up it, to go up top. He didn't know what was on top, but his desire to climb was extremely strong. Without thinking, he approached the structure, the group walked a little bit away from it.

His body began to shiver, a cold chill running down his spine. He approached, he thought, were a pair of metal doors. He raised his hand, he wanted to touch it. He wanted to open the doors, see what was inside.

He was about to touch it, but then he felt himself getting lightheaded. He took a step back, not knowing why he suddenly felt like he could pass out right then. He heard voices, they were screaming to him. He couldn't understand what they were saying, they were incomprehensible. Each voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard slowly going down to make such an awful noise.

He collapsed, he began to breath heavily. He saw darkness, he felt cold, he felt miserable. Images started to flash in his head, but they too were incomprehensible. He screamed, he wanted his sadness to go away. He wanted to end it all, to join with the darkness.

He felt a slap. His senses came back to him and he was staring up at the night sky, a hue of dark purple covering the stars slightly. He blinked, he looked over to find Frose floating over him with a disconcerting expression. He shivered again, the cold grass on his back apparent on his bare scaley skin.

He ungracefully got back up, looking back at the tower. _What in the world was that?_ "Sorry."

She sighed, the two other staring at them from a distance. "It's alright lil one." She looked at the tower. "That tower, is a sacred place. No one knows what's inside its hull, not even the guildmaster."

He listened intently not giving up his gaze. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the tower resonated to him. Like it wanted to talk to him somehow.

"It's said what lies in that tower lies a Legendary, or so the myths are to be believed anyways. Anyone who even gets close to the tower gets struck with this invisible spell. I'm sure you've felt it for yourself?"

The Snivy nodded, egging her to go on about the tower. "Yeah, I felt like I was trapped in this dark void in my mind."

She hummed, "I wouldn't know, I've never dared going near the tower. I've only seen the reactions of those who tried."

He felt disappointed at that, he couldn't confirm what he felt. "Did the other two try?"

"Colb and Gadda?" She looked over at them briefly. "I think Colb did once when he was a Charmeleon."

"Charmeleon?" he repeated. It then dawned that she had said _when he was_. He turned to her confused. "Wait, what do you mean?"

She smiled at that. "Oh you have much to learn, lil one. I'll tell you once we leave town."

She floated away. He followed in her trail. Something about that tower screamed to him, like something that was on the tip of one's tongue. He wished he knew why he felt that way. He thought it might be a memory. If it was, why would he feel like he was consumed with mass amounts of grief and trapped in darkness?

Didn't make sense to him. He hoped Colb would be able to share a similar experience so he could dismiss the idea. He didn't want his first memory to be one trapped in some sort of dark void.

Upon rejoining, Colb was quick to immediately ask, "Hey, what was with the scream? Surprise no one ran and caused a scene."

 _So I did scream._ He embarrassingly looked away. This was not the impression he wanted to implant in them. "S-sorry, that tower made me feel-"

He waved his claws with a grunt. "I know, I know," he quickly stated. "What were you doing wandering off from us anyways?"

He didn't know how to explain, so he just looked at Colb with a weak shrug.

"Listen, when we do leave, we can't just split up. The forest might be a walk in the park, but once we cross that barrier," he shook his head, "oh man."

"Don't worry Colb, I'm sure when we are actually in the wild, he won't be going off on his own." Frose once again motioned them follow. They followed along, Sniven having a tint of red on his cheeks as he avoided Colb's blue eyes.

* * *

It was a short walk from the tower, but they approached a dirt road path that went out to the woods. Many footprints were upon the soft earth showing that many Pokémon before them have come and went to town. It made Sniven feel anxious again.

"Well guys, looks like our short visit here has ended," Frose casually said not stopping. "This path should take us directly to the next town over, granted nothing happens."

Colb puffed at her remark. "Nothing is going to happen."

She sighed, she had the look of wanting to say something back to him, but decided not to. "We should be cautious is all."

Gadda grunted with a nod in understanding her call. Colb puffed again with a smirk. "You two are worrying too much. The real action won't start once we leave for Humine Swamp."

Sniven was indifferent, how would he know if the forest was dangerous or not? Maybe the beast was pretending to be in high spirits because he knows they're right? Sniven wouldn't know, he had to assume that something could be in the forest that could kill them all.

"Stay close lil one, if we are given a chance, we're going to teach you how you could defend yourself."

Sniven perked at that, he looked over to her with a look of sudden fear. She smiled as warmly as she could to him when she saw the look on his snout.

"This forest is a calm one, but there are Pokémon that live within that are not as…" she drifted off looking off in the distance in thought.

"She means there's blokes in the trees that think they can fight with anyone they see." Colb spoke up with a chuckle.

"I suppose that is a good way to put it," she said with a glance at the beast. "They're not all that strong, most of them that try to fight are young, like you, Snivy."

He nodded, but that didn't ease his fears. It didn't matter to him if they weren't strong. How was he suppose to defend himself from anything? He quickly looked at his hands. They were definitely non-threatening. He couldn't imagine his hands doing him any good. His thoughts quickly went to the white haired Pokémon, Shiftry, and him slashing at the Seviper, the snake.

"I see you don't trust yourself," Frose said. They had just passed a sign signifying they were entering Knothole. Of course they were leaving it, their trek through the dirt road path starting right then. "It's alright, all you need to do is trust your instincts." She said matter of factly. "Listen to your instincts and your body will respond with abilities you may not even be aware of yet."

His thoughts drifted to Servida, the wind around her blowing intensely at the tornado she made. He assumes he wouldn't be able to do what she could do, but a sudden question popped in his mind no less. "Then what about the visions?"

"That again?" Colb perked. "I've never heard of anyone doing that before, especially a grass type. I think you were just in shock from what was happening."

"I'm not lying, it's true. I saw a few visions and they all came true!" He argued back with irritation.

"Alright, then what's going to happen ten seconds from now?" he countered back.

Sniven was at a loss, he looked around uncertainly. "Hey, that's no fair."

"Four… three… two…" he counted down.

"I don't know how to activate the visions," he explained almost raising his voice in defense from him counting down.

"One…" he counted down at last. He looked around to see that nothing has happened. "And there you go."

The Snivy, with an irritated expression, leered at Colb. He turned his head briefly to see his expression and he laughed. Gadda smacked him with his fin causing him to snap back to Gadda with a shrug.

"Colb is right, I don't think a grass based Pokémon can have an ability to manipulate the flow of time." She thought about what she just said. "There's not even any psychics I know that can do anything of the sort. Only one I can remember that has the ability to distort time is of the fabled Dialga. That's just in child fairy books though, it's proven that such a Pokémon doesn't exist."

"And besides, grass based Pokémon can't use the air or energy or whatever it is you can do, Frose." Colb said.

She nodded, "I can do ice too."

"Right." He quickly moved his flaming tail away from her in response.

Sniven closed his eyes, leaving his irritation behind as they once again ignored his claim of seeing visions. "Well then, what can I use?"

"Specifically for your species, I haven't a clue. Though I know that you should be able to control flora and summon leaves to you.

 _Oh boy, what a great ability, that'll show a scary monster._ "I don't see how that will help me."

"You're not trusting yourself again," she said smiling. "When your instincts tell you to use it, you'll see for yourself, lil one."

As if on cue, a rustle was heard in a nearby bush off the path. The sun was definitely coming up. They couldn't see its beauty due to the trees, but the sky was considerably a brighter blue with a hint of purple still in it. Stars could no longer be seen as the night was slowly being replaced by a new day. It was going to be another clear, beautiful day it seems like.

The group stopped as they heard the rustling continue. Colb smiled to himself looking over to Sniven. "Looks like we're going to teach you how to use those vines of yours."

"Wha…?" _Vines? I don't have any vines._ "What are you talking about?"

"Not all grass types have them, but I read you do possess vines in your body," Frose explained. "I can't help you anymore than that I'm afraid."

The prospect of having controllable vines in his body egged him the wrong way. Instantly he tried every known muscle on his body to summon these supposed vines that they're claiming he has. All that did was stress him out as he flexed in placed.

"Don't be trying to mimic me now," Colb smirked. "You ain't got nothin' on these guns."

Gadda slapped him again, that was the sound apparently whatever was in the bush waited for. The creature jumped in front of them angrily with its beady black eyes. A sharp point was on this creature's head as it shook threateningly at the passerbyers. However, with its giant pink nose in front from its yellow skin, it looked hardly like something to be fearful of.

 _Is this a joke?_ The creature was smaller than him. He didn't know if he should be relieved knowing that he was going to be taught how to do something upon a small creature. Colb only looked at the creature in front with a smirk, but it didn't hold back it's fierce gaze.

"Stupid little guy doesn't even know when he's outmatched and outclassed." Colb motioned toward Sniven with a thumb. "Go and get 'em!"

He wanted to ask how, but he knew they wouldn't know. He suddenly wished there was another grass based Pokémon in their group that knew how to use vines. The trio got out of the way to let them battle, but not before Gadda slapped at Colb again with an angry set of eyes.

The Snivy and the creature stared down at one another. He becoming quite anxious at being watched by the group. He didn't know what to do. Does he go straight in and start smacking the guy with hands that don't look like they would be capable of even harming anything?

Nothing was happening, which was fine for him. He wondered who was going to make the first move. He didn't think he would be the one to be foolish enough to go in blind. The spike on the creature's head looked rather intimidating suddenly. He bet this creature would go in and try to use that thing. The way that he jumped in front of them telling that his speed was fast in the air.

He took deep breaths, attempting to calm himself down as he positioned himself to suddenly leap away should the creature strike first with a jump. Colb smirked at the Snivy's stance, his flame growing with the smirk.

He waited and waited, moments seeming like minutes. He tensed his muscles, his own expression changing to that of rough determination. _Listen to my instincts, I'll see what that will do._ He padded the dirt beneath him with his foot, not daring to take his eyes off the creature's beady black ones.

It jumped, like he knew it would. He dodged to the side, the creature completely missing him as it faced down trying to stab him. He stumbled upon landing the dodge and almost fell over, but he caught his balance and turned around to face the aggressive bug-like thing.

It lunged at him again. Again he dodged the flailing bug and turned back around, trying to see if his instincts were telling him anything different. He couldn't feel anything, he still didn't know what he should do to attack.

It lunged once again. This time when he dodged, he noticed his leafy tail. _Oh, I forgot!_ He landed again, now with an idea. He had no idea if it would work, but it was worth a shot. The bug would have to lunge at him again to make it work, he hoped.

It didn't lunge again. Instead, it inhaled and shot at the Snivy with a white substance with a squee noise. _What the?_ The white substance hit him and he was quickly being covered in a sticky residue that started to cover him head to toe.

"What's happening?" he cried out.

"It's a string shot," Froze explained nonchalantly, though she did have a slight look of concern. "Harmless by itself, but if you let it happen, you'll be trapped in a cocoon."

That certainly helped him understand, but now his fear was back in full swing. He quickly tried to run away from the bug's spewing sticky substance, but he found his legs were already bounded to the ground. _Oh no!_ He shook with all his might, but he couldn't get free as his arms were next to be bound on his sides. His tail was left unscathed as it curved in the air away from the slowly forming cocoon.

He closed his eyes, pushing as hard as he could to break free of the substance, but he couldn't budge. _Come on instincts, if I have to listen to you, do your thing now!_ He gritted his teeth in determination, focusing on anything that might be his instincts telling him to do.

The white string started to cover up his head, his eyes now binding shut as he couldn't even open them anymore. _Your tail, dummy, the bug hasn't gotten your tail!_ In the midst of the chaos, he did the one thing he could think of. He thrashed his tail to the sticky string, and he felt the string snap and rip. _It worked?_ He didn't stop, he kept thrashing his tail to the string. First cutting where his arms were bind, then taking his arms and ripping the shredded string away, and finally cutting with his tail to his bottom the best he could do.

He kicked it away, his breathing doubled as a rush of adrenaline was pumped into his system. He looked at the now fearful bug that had stopped it's spray. Colby smirked wider witnessing Sniven's wild expression.

The bug regained its stern posture however after that brief moment. It lunged once again. This was what the Snivy waited for. He jumped out of the way and twirled his body so his tail would hit the bug with his momentum.

It worked, with the flat end of his now incredibly sharp-like leaves, he smacked the bug sending him quite the distance. He landed and turned around, but the bug was still soaring in the air before it clashed to a tree. With a shake of the branches and a small thud, the bug laid on the grass. It looked to be out cold.

He gasped, not knowing that much force was going to be exerted to the bug. He ran over to it to see if it was still breathing. Thankfully, it seemed like it was okay, but it definitely was out cold. He sighed in relief when he looked over to his group that all beamed at him.

"A razor leaf and a nasty tail whip, nice one!" Colby said with an extremely large smile. The fire at the end of his tail was burning so furiously that he was surprised it didn't catch any of the trees on fire.

Gadda clapped with his fins with a smile as well. The fins making a wet smacking noise upon each contact.

"Well done, lil one!" Froze exclaimed happily. "It wasn't the vines, but that was still pretty impressive to come back from being trapped in a cocoon."

Sniven, his breaths returning back to him, smiled widely in return to the group that congratulated him. _Baby steps, one at a time._ He hoped he would be able to know how to control his supposed vines, but knowing his tail could be use as a means to defend was an amazing accomplishment for him.

"I think we should let the kid battle every bugger that crosses our path," Colby said with that smile still on his maw.

"I suppose we could do that," she said with a nod. "Would that do, lil guy?"

He nodded, he was just happy he wasn't going to be a useless body. "Yeah, and maybe I'll learn how to use those vines you say I have."

Colby chuckled, "Kid, I'm sure you're going to learn how to use those bad boys all too soon."

Gadda nodded at Colb's words in agreement.

"Well then, lets keep going guys," Frose said as she floated off passed the bug, following the dirt path again. "Our next destination might take some time to get to if we do this, but I'm confident it's for the best for the lil guy."

They continued on their path, the purple hue now completely gone from the sky as the dawn of a new day finally was in full swing.

* * *

He was bored. He stared into the fine glass that was in front of him with freshly poured wine. It wasn't his idea to get drunk first thing in the morning, but he couldn't help it. The Cipher had been activated, _again._

He stared longingly at the red wine, wanting to down it in one gulp so he could be consumed by his own stupidity and bliss. He didn't know if he really wanted to though. Would getting drunk matter in the long run whether it happens or not?

He took the glass and swayed its contents around, looking around as he sat in a dimly lit room. He knew it was a lot bigger than what the lights showed, he simply didn't care to ignite the other flames that were strewn together around this particular room.

"Why are you so concern about the Cipher?" a female voice asked. He sighed, his cyan eyes the only thing shining through the dark room. "Even though we can't see it, we know it's going to happen, yet here you all acting like you always do when the Cipher is activated."

"What's the point," he muttered looking at the red substance. He really wanted to drain it down and ignore everything. Something he was sure she was not happy about. "Even if we can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't going to happen. I want to believe, but I can't."

"I know what you mean," the voice said somewhere in the dark. Her voice reverberated around the walls making it sound like she was all around him. "It's hard to believe in something we can't see."

"I'm so sick of it," he said calmly. "Sick of seeing _him_ gloat about it." He growled at who he reference. He hated _him_ with a passion that his eyes shined fiercely at even mentioning.

"I know," she replied. "We can't change fate. If it's destined to happen, we'll just be…" she trailed, not finishing her sentence. "At least we will be spared, once the Cipher is unlocked."

"That's the worst part, and you know it," he said with a solemn look. He couldn't stop staring at the wine, more and more he wanted to drink it and stop talking to her. "I wish I could just end this silly charade right now."

"You know you can't change fate."

He grunted in distaste. The words rang true to him like an iron fist punching an iron wall. He looked at the contents of the glass once more. He took the wine and downed it one gulp.


	5. Chapter 5

It was well within the day, the sun had almost reached its apex to show that it was roughly around noon. Not a cloud was in sight to cover up the rays the sun provided to the rich earth. Another peaceful day in a peaceful land, all was it well as nature went about its daily routine.

The group trekked on the dirt road. The scenery didn't change except for the occasional pothole or the plethora of bird-like creatures that soared about. Every time something did fly over the group, Sniven would suddenly get a sense that he should take cover.

They had passed another bug-like creature that wanted to fight a few hours earlier. Of course they were true to their word and had him battle the green caterpillar Pokémon. It didn't put up much of a fight as it did the same exact tactics as the one before it. Nonetheless, Sniven was glad his second fight went smoothly. He greatly appreciated his natural skill.

He still couldn't move his vines though. He wonder if a lot of stress would have to be put on him where he wouldn't be able to use his tail to defend. Perhaps something a bit stronger would need to challenge him for his instincts to show him how to move them. Or he could wait and find a Pokémon that already knew how.

He had asked Frose if there were any Pokémon at the town they were heading to. She had to think about it, but she nodded and stated there was an Ivysaur.

"And what's an Ivysaur?" Sniven had asked instantly without thinking. The question was quick to make him grunt in embarrassment. Of course she had replied it was a Pokémon that was also grass based. The name alone should've tipped the Snivy off.

Sniven stifled a small yawn. He didn't feel tired, the armband making sure of that, but he was bored from the lack of anything exciting happening. The large dirt road that was conveniently paved away for them to follow surely didn't help. Colb was right, this was a walk in the park. He was actually starting to wish another bug Pokémon would jump out so he can add more battle experience.

"How long is this one stretch of road?" Sniven finally asked. He felt like he was the first to talk since the last battle.

"We still have a ways to go, lil one," Frose replied staring directly ahead.

"I think we might actually be close to the barrier though," Colb butted in. "These woods look familiar where I last saw it."

Sniven looked around both sides of the path. The trees look just the same as when they began their journey. How on earth anyone could say this area was different from the rest flew past his head.

"Oh, I suppose you were right about the barrier, Colb."

Colb glanced at her with confusion on his maw. "What do you…?" He gasped before smiling. "Oh yeah!"

"But, it was just the guildmaster, not other psychics like you said."

He waved his claw. "Pah, I should've known it was just her. I thought she ordered the Alakazam brothers to put it up a long time ago."

"Because of the rumors," she pointed out.

Gadda prodded at him with a perplexed look. Sniven couldn't believe it, but he started to talk! Except he could barely hear what he had to say due to that tongue muffling the scratchy voice he was producing.

Colb apparently had no problem understanding him as he nodded. "Well yeah, where else did you think the barrier came from?"

Gadda looked off with a look of wonder. Again his voice produced some scratchy, muffled, incomprehensible gibberish.

"If you say so," Colb responded with a light chuckle. "I won't stop you from believing that."

Gadda leered at Colb, disgruntled at his nonchalant response. Colb shrugged with a smile. He finally got him back.

Sniven was confused at the pair. Sometimes he felt they hated each other, but then there were those times where they agreed and compliment each other. "You two seem to lash out," he said not beating around the bush.

Both of them did a take on the Snivy before looking at each other. To his amusement, both of them smiled and laughed. Frose rolled her eyes at the two without paying them any attention.

"We actually are connected, if you can somehow believe that." Colb nudged at the smiling frog. "Me and him used to hang out around the shore back home when we were just kids, ain't that right?"

Gadda nodded, his voice once again scratchy and incomprehensible. He was directing it towards Sniven, but he could not understand a word Gadda was saying. Sniven only raised a brow in response.

Colb laughed even harder, slowing his walk as he bellowed out. Gadda smacked him again, but he shared a chuckle with him anyways.

"What's so funny?" Sniven asked. He wondered if he was the only one in the group that couldn't seem to understand Gadda's scratchy voice. He looked over to Frose who still stared ahead without commenting on the spectacle.

"Oh nothing, just the look you gave him, kid." He laughed a bit more, shaking his head to stop himself for drowning in his own laughter. "I forgot you can't understand Gadda, can you?"

The Snivy shook his head. "Yeah, all I hear is a bunch of scratchy noises."

The frog tsked and shook his head. In a flash, he slurped up his tongue in one quick motion. He gulped it down and sighed. He cleared his voice, looking over to Sniven with a smirk. _"...No-aaa...?"_ he said with that same scratchy voice.

Sniven was taken back, it was still hard to understand, but he thought he heard his last word. Gadda's scratchy accent was very strong and he almost, on instinct, asked him to repeat. "It's a little better."

" _...ry my ..oi.. ...ant pe… Oo…"_ he said with a nod.

Sniven raised his brow again which sent Colb back in a laughing fit. "Or not, I think I hear words, it's really hard to make out though."

"Gadda is a Greninja, a water based Pokémon" Frose explained. "Some of the aquatic species are fortunate enough to have throats where they can talk like any other Pokémon that are able to. There are some others, like Greninja and his evolution line, that have throats where they can't speak normally without straining their throat to move the water away from their lungs."

"So basically this frog literally has a mouthful of water," Colb winked at Gadda who spat on his face with a burst of water. "Oh come on, that wasn't even an insult."

Gadda, in another instant, spat out his tongue and quickly wrapped it around his neck. It made Colb gag at the noise the tongue made.

Sniven, intrigued that this Greninja functions differently from other Pokémon, wanted to know more about him. "Your lungs are filled with water then?"

Gadda nodded at him.

"So that means you can't breath air?"

Gadda shook his head.

"Greninja's are able to breathe oxygen like majority of Pokémon" Frose stated. "Water types will always prefer to breathe water if there's any nearby."

"I guess this is a good time to start teaching him about us, huh?" Colb asked to Frose.

"I did say I would tell him about us. It's only fair, I think. He deserves to have a better grasp of Pokémon in general."

"Too right, I couldn't imagine having this squirt tarnish our team name because he didn't know about all the types out there." He blocked Gadda this time as he knew a smack was coming. "You're fun to tease, Gadda," he said smirking at the Greninja.

"So, you were wondering what I meant when I said Colb was a Charmeleon, correct?"

Sniven nodded. Colb perked at hearing his name being addressed. "What, when did you say that?"

"By the tower."

Colb didn't reply back after hearing that. He took in a breath and closed his eyes looking away from Frose. Gadda looked sadly at him. Sniven was once again taken back from the sudden mood swing he presented. Frose only stared in confusion.

"Oh, I thought," she attempted to explain.

Colb held up his claw and shook his head. "Don't worry about it, of course you wouldn't know." He gave her a fierce look, but it wasn't in anger. His frown was very very apparent on his maw to make him look angry. "Not one of my proudest moments."

"Sorry, Colb." She bowed her head apologetically.

He puffed. "I am too."

Silence took over as they continued on in silence. Sniven's curiosity was silenced and forgotten. He wanted to ask Colb what happened, but he felt it would be selfish and inconsiderate.

He was about to ask Frose to continue where she left off until a faint rumble was heard in the distance. It was coming from directly in front of them, sounding like a giant group of footsteps echoing in the midday light. He'd realize just now that they had not ran into a single Pokémon that didn't want to fight on this trail. He looked down to see the faint imprints of footsteps of different sizes. A pebble near one was bouncing around from the massive vibration from the groups footsteps.

"Travelers?" he asked unsure.

They all stopped, Frose looking dead ahead with a squint. "No, there's way too many of them to be simple travelers."

Sniven felt uneasy, his scaly skin getting goosebumps as the feeling grew. Something within him started to stir. He began to shiver, a familiar sensation overwhelming him. "Aaah, what the?" he screamed.

The group looked toward him in shock. "What's going on?" Frose asked in horror.

 _Cold. So cold._ He let out a scream, but he didn't think he was screaming. Only a dry heave escaped from him as he collapsed on the ground.

Frose quickly grabbed her bag and pulled out some seeds. She went over to Sniven, seeds in hand. "Try eating, quick."

* * *

 _His vision flashed, he couldn't tell what was in front of him anymore. He saw Frose forcing down the seeds._

 _Next he saw a town, it looked a lot like Knothole. In fact, it was Knothole! He heard the rumbling here too. Again he couldn't move his body. Again he was watching something unfold hovering above the tree-like homes._

 _A flash happened and he was looking at the tower he passed. Red lights started to pulse forth as the very earth shook in place._

 _Another flash, he saw hundreds of Pokémon cutting down the tree-like homes. All had a sinister look to them as they smiled wickedly. He saw a red alligator looking Pokémon slash at a young bird. She screamed in agony but was silenced by the alligator opening its maw and snapping it around the bird's neck. A dark humanoid fox creature with red hair went over to a white colored mouse and sliced a deep gash sending a horrific cry. Everyone was being brutally murdered in broad daylight._

 _Another flash occurred. He saw a pink colored fox in a home cowering in fear. Her blue eyes watering as she stared at a figure. His vision blurred upon looking at the figure, he couldn't see the figure as clearly as everything else._

" _Who are you?" She screamed, kicking over her desk of books. They fell over with a noisy crash, the figure approached her. "No, stay back!" The figure pulled something out, he couldn't make out what though. "Go away, just go away!"_

 _In an instant, he was in a lush jungle of sorts. A sad looking yellow feathered bird sat by a beautiful waterfall._

 _Another instant, a huge open lake showed itself with the strangest set of buildings he has ever seen._

 _Streets were in view, Pokémon were walking on the paved roads going to destinations unknown._

 _An explosion popped, screams filled the air._

 _Another flash, fire burst forth. A tall tower on top of a snowy peak could be seen._

" _Welcome heir to the Cipher," a familiar voice was heard._

 _Another burst of light, he suddenly saw a green snake-like creature running away from something. He couldn't tell what it was, this image more blurred than the others._

" _Someone help!" cried out his own voice._

 _Then he saw another tower, this one was on top of charred land. Death was the call as a chilling howl echoed in the death ridden land._

" _Why do you live?" A deep voice resonated._

 _He saw a chamber, sitting on a throne was a smirking figured. He looked crazed, his multi-colored wide eyes sending a chill down his spine._

 _A girl popped up, the world around her in flames. She was crying, her pink eyes angrily looking at something off in the distance._

" _You have to go, before it's too late!"_

 _A red menacing vortex loomed over her head, pulsating with power as it looked to be almost encasing the darken sky. Then nothing, he couldn't see anything anymore._

* * *

His vision returned, the rumbling coming back to him in full swing. Frose was about to stuff the seeds in his open mouth. It was like nothing had happened but him suddenly collapsing.

"Servida!" He screamed, pushing Frose out of the way knocking the seeds out of her hands. He didn't stop to apologize, he turned and started to run away from them.

"What are you doing?" Frose exclaimed angrily, the rumbling continuing to grow.

Gadda was quick, he dashed towards the running Snivy and shot a burst of water from his fins. He motioned his arms so the water formed a string and he quickly wrapped it around the Snivy who fell face first.

"No, let me go!" He screamed. "We need to go back to town! Something terrible is about to happen!"

Colb looked back and forth of the approaching mob he can just barely make out and Sniven. "I think the squirt's right, Frose."

"What happened to the barrier?" She asked horror stricken. "Didn't the guildmaster put it back up I thought?"

Colb clutched his claws. "We need to move now, unless you all want to face that mob." He said with determination.

"We have a Snivy, he can't run fast!"

"Then carry the kid, I don't care, I'll carry the kid!" He growled.

Sniven had not stopped trying to break free of Gadda's hold. Gadda was effortlessly making him stay in place. He gave glances to everyone with an equal set of determined eyes waiting for orders.

Colb quickly approached the struggling Snivy, firmly grasping his figure, Gadda breaking the hold in the process, and pumped his wings. He was quick to push himself in the air, his powerful pumps beating down to the soft earth below sending shockwaves to Gadda and Frose. "Grab a hold, Frose, we need to go now!"

She hesitantly floated to him and wrapped her arms around his neck just above his pack. "Gadda, you think you can keep up with us?" She asked nervously.

Gadda grunted with a nod.

 _Another flash, another explosion. He saw Colb flying in the sky with himself on it. They started to fall towards the trees fast._

He blinked, he was back in Colb's grasp. He screamed.

"Hey-hey, what the- kid, I've done this before!" he yelled back to his scream.

With a mighty pump, they were off in the air going back where they came. The Greninja dashing in their wake. Sniven squinted his eyes as the wind blew in his face sharply. He knew he was high up since they were above the trees.

He would be scared. He should be scared. He just saw a vision of them crashing in the tree, but his thoughts of Servida blocked out any sort of logical fear he would possess at the moment. He wanted to scream to Colb, tell him the danger, but he was certain the beast would ignore him again. His wings swaying behind with a thunderous roar.

"I saw another vision!" He screamed over the powerful wings. "Watch out for an explosion!"

Colb grunted in response. "Kid, I'm pretty sure vision or no, I know how to fly. Those Pokémon are going to come to the village and slaughter everyone. We just need to beat them to the punch bef- GAH!"

An explosion erupted on Colb's side. The impact causing him to lose control and head towards the tree line on the left of the path. Sniven gasped as did Frose who squeezed even tighter at him. They hit the top of the trees, leaves being ripped from their foundations as they crashed through branches.

Sniven felt the branches scratch his skin. His eyes were closed as he tensed his body. He heard a rip, the bag Colb no doubt being ripped by the tiny barbs from the branches as they cracked under their crash course. He felt himself starting to roll, a crashing thud as Colb hit the forest's ground sending the branches that he brought with him to scatter.

Frose was thrown off of him at the last second before he hit the dirt. She spiraled over screaming before crashing into a tree. She collapsed, out cold from the sudden stop.

Then everything was still, except the rumbling of the mob. The earth vibrated underneath them as they continued marching where they were trying to get back to. Colb groaned as he picked himself off the ground, scratches marked all over his body as blood freely dripped from his open wounds.

Sniven opened his eyes, the beast had let go of him before the impact. He felt the stinging sensation of the many scratches on him. He also groaned, but what he saw that marked Colb made him cringe.

A massive gash was on his right side, blood flowing freely down the wound. Colb tried to cover it up, his teeth bared as he breathed heavily in pain. "You okay, kid?"

He didn't respond, he was in shock from falling from such a high place and surviving. He heard something dragging behind him. Colb gasped, his eyes widened at what he saw. The Snivy, not liking the reaction, turned slowly around. Staring at him was that white haired Pokémon with the creepiest smirk he has seen.

"Y-you…" the Snivy whimpered, backing away. He gazed behind the Shiftry to see Gadda being dragged by his leg and on his back, unconscious. His tongue was lazily following behind him, uncurled from his neck.

"My, my, look at this," he started. "What's a group of Pokémon doing out here, hmm?" His tone was condescending as he pierced his gaze pass the Snivy and to the beast.

"Sineh," Colb whispered forgetting his pain. "What happ-"

He outstretched his leafy hand and a sudden shockwave erupted from his palm. Colb choked, he let go of his deep gash and put his claws on his neck trying to pry off an invisible source.

"I'll tell you what happened, old friend," he said with a low tone. "I grew smart and could see the world for what it is." His smirk grew somehow wider from that. He craned his neck as he enjoyed what he was doing. "It told me things your small brain can't possibly hope to understand."

Colb coughed, still choking at the invisible grasp the Shiftry somehow had. Sniven looked back and forth in horror.

"I would kill you, I would kill your friends right now, but do you hear that?" He paused, letting the growing vibrations be his answer. "They're coming to Knothole, and everything that you loved is going to be completely destroyed." He snickered.

Colb, still choking, grew furious. The flame on his tail igniting tenfold as he started to push through the invisible force that was keeping him in place.

"Na-ah-ah," he whispered shaking his outstretched hand. "Come any closer and your head might pop off." He squeezed his hand slightly to show what he meant.

Colb couldn't let out a gurgle anymore, his neck looked to be squeezed shut from the invisible force. He stepped back, grasping at anything to stop the force. It only took the Shiftry to open his palm again for him to cough harshly.

Sniven started to tear, he didn't know what to do. He was afraid, deathly afraid of this Pokémon before him. The image of the Seviper getting slashed coming back in his mind. The Shiftry gazed at him finally.

"I didn't recognize you before when I killed that loser," he snickered. "I say I did everyone a favor that day, no one was going to miss him."

Sniven didn't comprehend what he meant, tears started to flow down his eyes.

"Why are you crying? Are you scared, little man?"

The Snivy only continued to tear in fear. He was starting to hiccup from the intense situation.

He snickered again. "You should be honored, little man." He looked back at Colb. "Well it was nice shooting you down, old friend. Maybe when you're smart enough, we can have that drink you promised years ago, huh?" He cackled.

He pulled his arm back, releasing his hold on Colb and sending him collapsing as he continued to cough. "You're not… Sineh…"

"Believe what you want to believe, Colb." He let go of the unconscious Greninja. "Too bad that bag of yours ripped, you could really use some of those Oran Berries right now. Maybe even some Reviver Seeds."

The ground beneath them shook violently, roars of footsteps and battlecries were heard not too far off from them. The Shiftry didn't break his gaze, he watched Colb intently with that smirk.

"Why…" Colb breathed.

"I already explained," he said harshly. He turned his back to them. "Consider that drink though, old friend." He cackled again, and he was instantly gone in the depths of the forest.

The vibrations lasted for a good while, Colb and Sniven not moving as the battlecries continued to go on. Eventually the sounds started to fade, as did the vibrations. Sniven looked at Colb who was clutching his side again with a pained expression.

"Kid," he painfully started. "Grab Gadda's pack, he has some Reviver Seeds, hurry."

Sniven shakily crept to the unconscious body. He pushed Gadda softly over and started to yank the pack from him. He felt incredibly weak he noticed, the fear slowly leaving him when the confrontation had ended. He got the pack and walked shakily back to Colb.

The beast took the pack, smearing his blood over the leather material as he dug for the seeds. He found them and popped a few in his maw. Sniven watched in amazement as he saw Colb's scales begin to rigorously reconstruct themselves. The scales started to multiply, covering the wounds in the process.

Colb let out a sigh, his blood was still on him. "Thanks." He walked over to the Snivy and handed him a few seeds and the pack before directing his attention to Gadda's body. He kneeled down and lifted his head up before sticking a few more seeds in mouth. He forced Gadda to swallow the seeds, making the frog cough harshly.

"How dare he," he muttered under his breath. He lifted the frog up and carried him over to the crashed clearing. He laid him down, putting him a position where he looked comfortable on the soft grass.

Sniven only watched, again feeling like a useless body. Again he could've done something else, but he was filled with fear to do anything. "I'm sorry," he softly said. He hadn't eaten the seeds yet, they were still tightly clenched in his hand.

"Eat your seeds, kid," he said softly. "Stay here while I find Frose, okay?"

Snivy gulped, he nodded as he approached Gadda, shaking in place. Colb walked off behind the bend of trees and out of sight. He took the seeds and stuffed them in his mouth. He chewed on the substance, the familiar salty and bitter taste filling his mouth. He felt like he was being stretched again, watching his own scales starting to morph into each other. The cold shiver came immediately forth, but he expected it this time so he wouldn't be caught off guard.

Colb came back, holding Frose who looked no worse than Sniven did thankfully. He placed her next to Gadda and took the pack from Sniven to fish for another set of seeds. He pulled more out and did the same thing to her. He placed the seeds in her mouth and forced her to swallow.

She coughed, the tiny scratches on her face starting to fade away from her purple face. The little torn rips in her dress mended together. "How dare he," he repeated. He set her down and stood up with a fierce gaze. "How dare he."

Sniven took this time to look at their surroundings. He knew they must be by the dirt path still, but the dense tree and flora around him made him think he had suddenly transported to a completely different area. He gulped, what should he say? He didn't understand. They were shot down by this small Pokémon. How can such a small creature possess the ability to make something explode? Not to mention that invisible choke he did.

The beast didn't move, he closed his eyes and did a circular motion with his arms and bowed. "Light to the Termas, please let them recover quickly." He sighed, looking down sadly at the fallen teammates.

Sniven started to worry, the last time he heard that was when they were paying homage to that Seviper. "They're okay, right?"

"Yeah," his voice still soft, filled with sadness. "It'll be awhile before they wake up."

He hummed, but he gasped, his mind filled with that vision he saw. "The vision! I saw a vision, Colb!" He raised his voice, his expression shocked and in panic. "They're going to get Servida, they'll going to kill her!"

"Kid…"

"We got to save her!" He was almost screaming. "We need to go before they get her, Colb!"

"Kid, please-"

"Colb, _**WE NEED TO SAVE HE- OOF!**_ "

Colb punched Sniven in the face knocking him to the ground with a harsh thud. His mind was filled with stars as he didn't expect Colb to do that. He looked over to him, clutching his swollen cheek. Colb had tears streaming down his face, the look of complete defeat.

" _ **SH-SHUT UP, KID!**_ " He roared. " _ **SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR FREAKIN' VISIONS!**_ " He sniffed. " _ **JUST SHUT UP!**_ "

Sniven's eyes watered, rubbing at his cheek as the pain started to let up. "But Servida," he choked.

Colb kneeled down to him and gave him a hug. "I know, k-kid," he started to choke on his words too. "I know."

They both silently cried, the beast's tail a very dim flare to reflect the mood both were in.

The sun had finished its apex, it shining bright down at the two through a little gap of leaves. Shining down on the peace it only knew.

* * *

Hours past, the sun was soon to set to end the clear beautiful day. The orange hue could be seen between the leaves, the Snivy looked through them to appreciate the beauty it would provide for another hour. Frose had woken up not five minutes before he started to stare up the trees.

Colb and Sniven had gathered what wood the beast considered flame lasting. He had dug a ditch in the center of the clearing to place the wood in. He was about to light it when Frose started waking up.

"Colb, what happened?" was the first thing she asked. They didn't want to tell her the bad news, so they didn't say anything. Sniven thought she probably already knew though when he saw how grim both their faces were. She was floating in place looking off in the dense forest in silence.

Gadda had yet to wake up, he was still resting by the fire. It crackled as the ember popped the wood on occasion. Colb sat next to him with that same grim expression. The optimistic mood he had boasted earlier was completely gone.

 _Who could blame him?_ Sniven hadn't said anything after they shared a moment together. Honestly he felt a little selfish, he only knew her for one whole day after all. Colb, Frose, and maybe even Gadda had most likely spent a lifetime with Servida. He thought Colb was taking it badly, Frose was taking it much worse.

She had the look of a lost soul. Her posture didn't look as authoritative as it usually was, her arms swaying in place with her unblinking eyes. He could tell from here that her eyes were wet with tears.

It was unnerving, he wanted to say something, but there was nothing to say to make anyone feel better. So he kept watching the sky, hoping the mood would lessen somehow. He didn't think it would any time soon.

"Kid," Colb softly started. The Snivy turned his head to look at him with a blank expression. "I don't think we ever got your name."

He looked away, wondering why on earth he was asking for a name out of everything else. "I don't remember," he said.

"I bet," Colb gulped, "I bet she gave you one before you left, didn't she?"

He didn't turn to look, he nodded at him. "She named me Sniven."

"Sniven, huh?" he repeated. "I could see her naming you something as such."

Sniven hummed, reaching for his tail and slowly stroking the scaly appendage. "I'm going to stick with it." He felt his eyes water, but he held them back. Simply sharing a joyous memory instilled sadness for him. He sighed, looking back up at the orange sky.

"Sorry for, you know." He motioned his fists and punched the air.

"It's okay." He blinked, letting his tail snap back behind as it hit the forest floor with a thud.

"So, those visions, I think I somewhat believe you."

Sniven turned back over with that blank stare. He didn't want to think back to what he saw, not when he knew it had most likely come to fruition. "What good are they if I can't do anything about them?"

"I promise the next time you see something, tell me and I will do something." He nodded. "I shouldn't have been so careless when I was flying, I should've expected something like that happen."

The Snivy sighed, he didn't know if he was trying to make him feel better or make himself feel better. _Probably both._ "I don't know how it works."

"It's probably an ability that only you somehow had. You just probably need to tap into it a few more times before you could control it." He smiled weakly. "Sounds like a useful tool, don't you think?"

"Yeah…" he looked away. "I suppose if I can somehow change it, it'll be useful."

No one said anything again after that. The three were occupied with sorrow filled thoughts.

* * *

Night was upon them, a few more hours had passed and Gadda had still not waken up. Colb would occasionally glance at him with concern. Sniven, no longer able to see the beauty the sunset provided, stared into the fire with his expressionless snout. Frose had not moved at all, she still hovered in the same exact spot staring off in the dark forest.

Colb had given them what little food they had from Gadda's pack. Colb had discovered not too long ago that Frose also lost her pack on the fall. Sniven had gulped the food down the instant he was given the berry. The taste of juices distracting him from the numbness his mind brought.

Frose refused to eat, she didn't respond to Colb at all when he offered. He had insisted she at least carry it until she was ready to eat. The fruit was still in her hands, she had not taken a single bite.

"Frose, please eat," Colb finally said staring at her again. "Come on, talk to me."

She ignored him.

He sighed and added another plank of wood into the burning pile. "What about you, Sniven?"

The fire was way more interesting to look at than to look over. "I'm fine, just. Thinking I guess."

"About what?"

"Well, the visions I saw, it wasn't just the town and that explosion."

Colby perked, paying close attention to what the Snivy had to say.

"I saw a waterfall, and then a huge lake." He tried to recall what the buildings looked like, but it was lost to him. "And then I saw streets, and Pokémon walking." He was finding it harder to remember the further he experienced. "Another explosion, and then a tower on top of a mountain."

"Lumos Mountain," he said softly. "You saw Lumos Mountain no doubt."

 _So that's the place I have to go to?_ He wondered what will happen when he gets there. He was assuming his role would become clear for starters.

"A large lake sounds like the center of Termas. Been there a few times, they got some weird things if I recall."

"Termas." he finally glanced over to him. "Is that was this world is called?"

"Just about," he nodded. "I keep forgetting you don't know anything, sorry if I come off as being a jerk."

"No, it's okay." He looked at Gadda. "Without you guys, I would still be crawling around still, probably even dead."

"Nah, the guildmaster sent us out there in a heartbeat, we were going to find you no matter what." He glanced down, frowning after what he said. "I know she's powerful, but, I don't think-"

"Colb."

He turned around, Frose looked at him fiercely.

"Don't you dare utter the next set of words." Her voice was wavering, she turned back around to stare off again. "Please."

Sniven turned back to the fire, she was taking it really hard. He clasped his hands together and started to fidget as he focused on the embers slowly burning through the wood.

"Sniven, why don't you go ahead and try to sleep?"

A sensible request, but he didn't think he could do it. He still didn't feel tired, but that's when he remembered he still had the armband on. He was surprised not a scratch was on this cloth. He tugged at it, slipping it off as it glowed to expand.

It hit him, he felt like he could sleep for a long time. Now that the power of the armband were gone, sleeping sounded incredibly welcoming. He curled himself in place, placing the armband right next to him away from the fire. The fire crackled harshly, sending some wood downwards.

He watched the hypnotizing flames. They danced about, a flicker here and there as the forest breeze swept through occasionally. His eyes drifted, he started to lose his senses. The last thought were those of the vortex and the surrounding fire.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh Great One!"

A grand room presented itself to the running Pokémon. Two floating guards briefly looked at who ran past them. The sun and moon floating figures giving off a rather frightening look with their soulless red eyes. They stared at him as his long, bushy red hair flowed behind him violently.

"I have come bearing a report!" He stopped in the center and knelt down before an equally grand creature that sat on his haunches.

The creature was of pure white, a golden ring went around its waist, shimmering in the light from two huge hourglasses side by side. It looked more mechanical than it did natural with its oddly shaped body structure. Jointed edges adorned the beast giving it that mechanical vibe.

Blue sand dripped from the tiny crevices of both hourglasses, somehow vibrating with a multitude of colors. The red hair fox that knelt before the creature didn't react to the overwhelming presence the creature posed.

The creature bore its eyes on the fox, its dark blue eyes flashed at him causing the red haired one to shudder in place. The red haired one didn't break his gaze, his cyan eyes flashed along with the massive creatures.

" _ **Bring her to me!"**_ The voice came from all over the hall, making the fox shudder again. The massive creature did not move its head, it was as if the very air around it was speaking to him.

The red haired fox turned his head around, his eyes still glowing. The guards parted ways when soft footsteps echoed. A figure emerged from the dark hall behind, her purple eyes giving a fierce stare at the massive creature.

The dark leather jacket she wore gave a washed out sheen from the powerful hourglasses. Her long, blonde, flowing hair was neatly groomed as it swayed with her slow movement. Her skin appeared to be equally well kept, not a trace of imperfection upon her surface. A similar colored skirt she wore looked to be made of leather as well, her well toned legs exposed to the vibrating air that ended in a pair of pure black boots.

"We need to talk," she stated, not even slightly phased by the grand hall. Her voice not one with awe or respect. "If we are to succeed, you should keep your people in check."

The creature flashed its blue eyes at her, but nothing happened. She let out a sharp breath in response, her frown growing more apparent.

"You know that doesn't work, you should just stop."

" _ **The light doesn't care for the dark!"**_

"It's a good thing I'm here, now isn't it?" She kept walking, putting her fists on her hips. "You know the Cipher has been activated, why on earth were you loose with your people to tip one of the Deciphers?"

" _ **The ones under the divine protection are our enemies!"**_

"And that means you should be careful with who you let wander freely." She furrowed her eyes. "If it were me. I'm sure you know what will happen." She stopped in front of the red haired fox, her stern gaze not going away from the massive creature's eyes. "Shall I remind you?"

The fox gasped, showing immediate fear as she extended her hands towards his face. "Please no, Oh Great One, please don't let m-"

He was cut off, a blinding light filled the room. As it faded, the fox was gone, in its place was a floating blue light. It emitted the same colors the blue sand gave off.

" _ **ENOUGH!"**_

Another flash of light and the fox was back shaking madly. He collapsed on the ground, wrapping his arms with wide crazed eyes. A whimper being uttered as his eyes dotted around the room as if it was the first time he had ever laid eyes on the grand structure.

"Don't forget your place," she growled. "You know full well you don't stand a chance against _him_." She scowled at the mention of _him_. She gritted her teeth as if even mentioning _him_ caused her great physical pain and anger.

" _ **How dare you question my power! You have no right to be among the light!"**_

"Like it or not, you know you need me, just as much as I need you." She turned her back towards the massive creature and folded her arms. "And you letting that idiot go and cause a commotion was definitely not the right call."

" _ **He serves the light with unquestionable determination!"**_

"And you say that about everyone here," she countered back. She sighed and turned her head to look at the creature. "At least you released our mother, so I suppose it wasn't all that bad."

She looked down at the still shaking red haired fox. He was becoming stable, but his eyes were still wide in shock from the experience she had casted upon him. She tsked at the creature before walking away from them.

"I really don't care what happens, I just want to be with my family before the Cipher is unlocked."

" _ **That won't save you from the coming fire!"**_

She smiled to herself without looking back.

* * *

Sniven opened his eyes, but everything was a blur. He got up, not being able to feel the ground. His grunt echoed as if he was in a grand hall. He felt alone, all around him he could hear a roaring fire. As he slowly got up, he tried to focus his eyes, but everything seemed to be trailing.

"What's this?" he muttered, his voice echoing around him mockingly. He felt strange, like he was slowly being drained of something within him. He couldn't tell what was draining though, everything was becoming fuzzier the more he tried to understand.

"You need to go, now!" A female voice screamed.

He shuddered, the voice ringing in his mind. He recognized it, but why? He looked to see who screamed. No one was around him in this surreal area.

"Please, you need to run!"

 _Where though?_ He frantically looked around to find the source of the voice. Was the voice talking to him?

" _ **RUN!"**_

He didn't know why, but he began to do what the voice said. He didn't know where, the roaring fire was growing closer. His blurred vision sometimes became clear for a split second showing a dark area filled with burning land. A red vortex in the sky as it twirled menacingly in place above him. It was a horrific sight, the confusion he felt only intensified.

" _ **NO, STOP THIS, FATHER, STOP IT!"**_

A flash, and he felt nothing. It was like he suddenly and inexplicitly faded from wherever he was. Now he only felt an intense cold.

* * *

He gasped, his eyes shot up. The area around him was considerably darker than before. Only a small light source roared weakly from the flame of the beast's tail. Night had not yet left the slumbering forest. He wondered how long he had been sleeping. He looked at the charred remains of wood that they used.

"Good morning, Sniven, was it?" A female voice whispered.

Sniven looked over to find Frose laying nearby. She looked dazed, her eyes swollen and puffy from the breakdown she experienced. She was emitting a soft ghastly glow, her blue gems on her headpiece glowing with her. The yellow of her eyes felt like they pierced him with her sorrowful expression. He nodded at her, wondering if it actually was early morning.

She looked away, her arms resting just under her mouth. Sniven couldn't tell if that was her chin or not as it simply curved inward like a ball. "I'm sorry if I made you worry about me," she said softly. "I just didn't want to believe what happened."

He knew what she meant. His eyes didn't waver from staring at her collapsed figure. His mind felt numb still from the experience as well. The image of Servida in terror in her home haunting his thoughts.

"You had another vision you said?" She asked looking up at the leaves.

He mentally groaned, he really didn't want to keep going back to his visions. "Yeah," he simply stated.

She didn't say anything after that. For a moment he thought that was all it took to settle her curiosity, but she started to speak up. "And you saw visions even beyond?"

The waterfall, a huge lake, and the snowy peak flashed in his mind. "Yeah, I saw a lake with a city over over it," he chosed to explain.

"That's the city of Tsal."

"Ti-sal?" he repeated.

She hummed in response. "It's the epicenter of Termas, it's by far the largest city here."

"I'm guessing we're passing by it?" he asked. He didn't know if him simply seeing the vision meant they were going to.

"If we get to the next town over and keeping going north, yeah, we'll eventually pass it."

A thought occurred to him, but it didn't make him happy. The mob that approached and passed them, they came from the town they were heading to. Did that mean what he thinks it means? "Do you think the town we were going to is safe?"

Frose glanced at him, her expression unmoving. "I hope so, each town is suppose to have a barrier to block off Pokémon that have been converted to the dark. Once we start moving again, we'll take precaution in case their barrier has fallen too."

He sat up, yawning in place from being woken up from that dream. He could faintly remember one of the visions being what he saw in the dream, but it was already a big blur. It felt different from the other set of images he saw, they were all unclear and muffled. He looked to the Stamina Band he had placed. He didn't think he could go back to sleep, so he slid the silky cloth back on. With a satisfying glow, it contorted once again upon his wrist instantly.

Frose didn't move, she continued her sorrow felt gaze to the leaves. "Gadda still hasn't woken up," she said absentmindedly.

Sure enough, when Sniven looked over to the pair sleeping, Gadda was still in the same relaxed position. Whatever the Shiftry had done to him must've been extremely intensive.

"I could feel his pain even when I was unconscious," she answered his thoughts. "He'll be awake by sunrise I think, don't worry."

His curiosity began to grow, another thing that could be explained. _It might even make her feel better._ "How can you feel his pain?"

She turned her head to look at him this time. At first she didn't change her expression, but then a small smile formed. "Oh, I forgot, we were going to tell you about us," she caught on to Sniven's distraction.

He nodded, listening intently to learn more about this world.

"I'm sort of a special case than the other two and yourself," she started to explain. "I'm a hybrid, as in I naturally have more than one base type. I'm a Ghost based and Ice based Pokémon."

"Ghost?" he repeated with a raised brow. The name didn't make sense, she had bled just like him during the crash. "What do you mean?" He quickly assumed the word had a double meaning.

"Oh, I'm not dead, if that's what you're thinking," she said with a small hint of glee that confirmed Sniven's assumption. "I share abilities that are otherwise not physically possible for any living Pokémon to accomplish."

"Like feeling Gadda's pain?" He followed.

She nodded, her smile growing bigger. "Yeah, that's one of my abilities!" she exclaimed almost breaking her whisper.

Sniven smiled, happy that she was lighting up as she shared her knowledge. "Can you go through solid objects?" He probably already knew the answer to that one, but he just wanted her to keep talking.

She nodded, starting to float about slightly above the earth. He didn't even have to ask how she was flying anymore, now that he knew she was ghost based. "I can convert my power if you touch me too," she cheerfully whispered. "Touch me, and we can both go through walls."

The prospect of going through walls suddenly amused him. He wondered what it felt like to go through something solid. Then the thought of him being stuck in the wall flew in his head. He imagined something morbid happening if the ability suddenly stopped before passing through. He had to ask, to satisfy his next curiousity. "What if I let go in the middle of walking through?"

She giggled, surprisingly. It caught Sniven off guard considering how she acted not too long ago. "Oh don't worry, it's impossible to let go if I will you to come through with me."

"I see," he nodded. "I bet there's a ton of other things a ghost based Pokémon can do."

"You would be correct." She floated slightly higher and extended both her hands in the air. She concentrated, her blue gems starting to glow intensely in response. Instantly a dark, pulsating ball was hovering in one of her hands. The other one shot forth an intense cold stream that blew an incredibly frosty wind to Sniven. It formed into a similar ball that crackled lightly.

Sniven stared in awe at the sight. "Wow."

She looked down at him with her smile still spread wide. "Yeah, as you can see, I can control the air to form solid ice." She motioned the ball of ice that continuously morphed into random shapes. "And I can channel my inner spirit outwards." She motioned her other arm with the pulsating dark ball.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" a disgruntled gruff voice sounded.

Sniven turned around to find Colb staring at them with a tired set of eyes. _The sudden cold must've woken him up._

"Oh, sorry Colb," she politely apologized. She exhaled out slowly and the two balls dissipated from her hands into nothing. "I got too excited and forgot you were there when I was teaching Sniven about myself."

"S'okay, just so long you don't use me as an example with your ice." He groggily sat up and yawned with a loud rumble. His tail lightened up slightly at just that one single action. "I really needed that nap." He looked over to Gadda, his tired set of eyes not changing. "At least one of us is having a good night's sleep, huh?"

Sniven didn't know if he could agree to Colb's sentiment. Gadda looked relaxed, but he was put in that state not from his free will. "Is there anything I can do right now?" Snivy reluctantly ask, knowing the conversation was going to head back to reality.

"We scout for herbs and fruits," Colb yawned once more. "Gadda didn't have a lot of fruits in his pack, I was carrying most of it."

"Well, when your bag ripped, I don't think your supplies went that far off. They're probably scattered nearby."

"No good," he sighed. "I already looked around close to dinner time, I think the little buggers went and had a field day with that."

Sniven didn't know how that was possible, he certainly didn't see any Pokémon around when they were sitting about doing nothing. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, but he definitely didn't see any sign of life approach or pass by them. He then figured it must've been their instincts not to reveal themselves. He imagined himself doing the same thing if he was a loner.

"Colb, your pack was huge, I'm sure there's still some left scattered," Frose sighed back to Colb.

"Hey, I'm just sayin', I already checked," he got up and stretched his entire body. Cranking his neck in the process so it would crack. "But I suppose it ain't a bad starting point." He walked passed Gadda, picking up the his pack by him, and went toward the direction where Snivy could faintly see a bunch of broken branches and twigs scattered about. "Come on, Sniven, lets go find us some food."

"Wait, hold on, we're gonna look now when it's still dark?"

"Oh yeah," he yawned again. "Then sit tight with Frose and Gadda, I'll be back with a whole bunch of food for us all, just you wait."

He stomped off into the depths of the trees, casting shadows as his flaming tail grew slightly. Sniven and Frose watched him disappear behind some trees, but they could still follow the light his flame provided.

"Honestly," she huffed, "he is impossible."

Sniven followed his light, gasping at a realization. "How is he going to find us again?"

"He'll find us, don't worry about that," she huffed again. "That fat nose of his has a keen sense of smell."

He turned to her with concern. "Do you two not get along?" he asked again not beating around the bush.

She glanced back at him with a shake of her head. "No, it's not like that, he just likes to act on impulse a lot." She smiled a bit. "He always mouths off at everything and acts reckless. I think that's a Charizard flare." She looked back off to the distant light. "I actually don't mind him at all."

"From the way you talk to him, I would say it's the opposite," Sniven chuckled hoping to bring more light hearted small talk.

"You think?" She looked back to the light with a wide smile. "Not at all. If Colb ever knew I wasn't being serious with him, he would keep on joking about something awful and then nothing will get done."

"Such as?"

"Oh, I trapped myself there, didn't I?" She pondered. "Well when we first started this Rescue Team, he would joke a lot about the name I came up with for us. Said it was the silliest thing he had ever heard, if you could believe that."

"Lets hear it," Sniven smiled wanting to know the name now.

"Oh, I hope you're not going to be teasing too," she said with a slight frown. "I put a lot of thought on the name I'll have you know."

"Alright, alright," Sniven chuckled. "I won't laugh at the name."

She gave him a look of suspicion before clearing her throat. "Light Speed," she declared as proudly as she could.

Silence followed, Sniven suddenly had the urge to laugh at the name. He tried holding it in by giving her a smile and nod. "That's a brilliant name I think," he said almost earnestly. He did think with such a silly name like that, their morale would be boosted.

"I can feel you holding the laugh," she said plainly.

Sniven didn't let his smile fade. "Well alright, but it's definitely a name that sounds quirky."

"Quirky? Why is it quirky?" she asked annoyed and defensively.

"Well, the way it sounds makes it quirky," he said still not dropping his smile. "I'm sure there's a bigger picture to that name, but the name makes it sound quirky to me."

"Well, it's suppose to represent that we follow the light and we take on duties in quick succession." She huffed at him. "That's the quick and short version."

"Alright, sorry," he chuckled. "But I won't tease the name."

She gave him a menacing look, but then sighed with a small smile. "I can live with that."

* * *

The sun had begun to rise, lighting the forest floor. Sniven sat by Gadda as he she told him more about the world. He learned that Colb was a Charizard and she was a Froslass. She segued into the explanation of evolution lines and why she had mentioned Colb being a Charmeleon.

"The vast majority of us have evolutions," she had started. "I remember when I was little I was such a little thing, it's quite embarrassing to talk about."

He learned that Frose had not looked the way she did before. She had explained that she was once a creature called a Snorunt and she had been given the privilege to be given an artifact to turn to a Froslass.

"So what's my evolution line?" Sniven had asked after she started to explain that Colb started off as a Charmander and was, obviously, a fire based Pokémon.

"Well you're still young, so I don't think you'll be evolving any time soon," she had answered with a cheerful tone. "But from what I've read, you'll be grown into a Servine, a taller version of what you look like currently. And then as a large snake called a Serperior."

"Wait, so I'll lose my limbs?" he asked right after. He looked quickly at his hands to see they were still there.

"That's what I read, anyways," she answered. "But don't fret, I know some Pokémon that have chosen not to evolve."

She went off to tell that Pokémon could simply will an evolution from never happening. She sadly didn't know what it felt like naturally, as she told him that she was given an artifact to do the deed for her.

"So just will it, huh?"

She nodded. "Yes, you could stay as a Snivy forever if you wish to."

That had been roughly half an hour ago. She started to go off about the different lands Termas has. She described a vast canyon to the west. The lush forests, jungles, and swamps they were currently in that was in the south portion. The east being filled with an intense desert. The north an icy and treacherous region to even the most hardened Pokémon.

"I know I said it's a place of death and despair," she recalled. "It's true, many have tried to venture to the very mountain you need to get to. They all never came back once they entered far north from the last known town."

"Have you guys traveled there before?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I did, but that was before I formed this Rescue Team."

"I'm sure Colb is going to love it," he said with a heavy hint of sarcasm.

"Colb's been there too I believe," she recalled again. "I don't know why, he never told me what business he would have at such a cold region. It's a long journey from his home."

Then something rustled. Both of them collectively gasped and turned around to the source. Gadda had moved, but only slightly. His violet eyes opened slowly as he groggily took in the immediate surroundings. His tongue was lolled on his stomach, he slowly slurped it back in his mouth with a weak gulp.

Sniven and Frose held their breath as they watched the frog slowly sit up. He looked dazed, blinking slowly to show as such. A weak croak emitted from his throat, something Sniven never heard before.

"Gadda," Frose excitedly started. She floated over to him. He returned the gaze with that dazed expression. "Oh Gadda, I felt your pain, it was horrible." She hugged him, making sure to wrap her arms under his arms.

Gadda, with another weak croak, wrapped his arms around her. The scene touched Sniven with a smile, reinforcing that the group definitely had strong connections with one another. The smile faded when he thought what the Shiftry had done. _Poison maybe?_ He still looked out of it. Sniven saw the worried look Frose gave as well.

Once again, Gadda started producing a scratchy noise. Sniven could only guess what the Greninja was saying to Frose. She patted at him in response, shushing him.

"Don't worry," she replied to his gibberish. "We'll keep resting here if you don't feel right."

He felt it again, that familiar sensation. Sniven held in his groan. It was a lot weaker than before, but it still made him feel like he was suddenly in a very cold place. He looked over to them hugging.

* * *

 _He saw the streets again. Pokémon were walking about going to destinations unknown._

 _An explosion, cries were heard in collective screams._

 _Gadda collapsed and convulsed in a grand hall. A figure over him that he couldn't make out. He heard Gadda scream, it was just as scratchy as his voice, but it was the the scariest noise he had ever heard._

 _The streets again, Pokémon marched through them. All had a look of determination as they passed slain Pokémon, some of which looked like the marching ones. The one leading them was a red haired fox._

 _He noticed that some of them were mumbling, extending their hands, claws, paws, or other appendages to the fallen Pokémon. They suddenly disappeared in quick flashes that was replaced with a blue ball of light vibrating with a multitude of colors. The Pokémon doing the deed held out spheres made of glass, the blue light being sucked into their empty shells._

 _A yellow, feathered bird-like creature cowered behind a Snivy. He realized that was himself. The room looked to be massive, but they were in a corner. He looked determined to protect the bird. In front was Gadda. His smirk wide and apparent even with his tongue wrapped around._

" _Gadda, stop!" Sniven's doppleganger screamed with anger. "Snap out of it!"_

 _Gadda formed a sword-like appendage made of water. It looked sharp to the touch as it glistened to the lights above._

 _He raised it to strike._

* * *

The feeling went away instantly, he was back sitting and the pair were no wiser that something had just happened. He gasped, putting out his arms to the pair as a reaction. Frose looked over, her worried expression still there.

"What's wrong?" She asked, confused.

Sniven had no words. He only stared at them with wide, panicked eyes. He slowly put his arms back down with a very audible gulp. "I…" _Should I tell them?_ "I saw another vision."

Gadda slowly looked over, still dazed, but now with confusion etched on his features. Frose widened her eyes and looked back to Gadda, her expression extremely grave and worrisome.

"It was that city again," he said, not knowing if he should tell them what he saw in full. "There were Pokémon marching, it looked like a massive battle had happened."

"Impossible," Frose gasped. "Tsal is very well fortified. It's nearly impossible for just normal Pokémon to get in without a severe screen check."

He then recalled he saw that same yellow bird in his waterfall vision. _Were they one in the same?_ "You said this general area is filled with forest, jungles, and swamps, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"In my other vision, I saw a yellow bird by a waterfall. This one, I saw it again."

"You're thinking it's important?"

He nodded, gulping as he attempted to calm himself down. "Yeah, I think that bird is important to the vision I saw."

She looked over to Gadda who looked lost from Sniven's sudden explanation and Frose's responses to them. "Oh dear, do you know when it will happen?" She started to panic as she hovered in place looking unsure of what to do.

"I don't know," he said. However, he did just see Gadda there as well as himself. "I think we have time," he simply explained not wanting to reveal the other parts of the vision.

Gadda croaked, looking at Frose, and muttered some more gibberish to her. She looked back, her face still telling she was unsure.

"Yeah, I believe his visions," she replied quick. "Oh dear, oh dear, what should we do?"

With a crack, a familiar gruff voice came. "Gadda, you're awake!"

The group turned to see Colb, bag filled to the brim with whatever fruits and other foods that looked like that could last them days. He bore a smile at them, which soon faded when he noticed that all of them had the look that they were told a death sentence.

"Hey, what's goin' on?"

"Colb, Sniven saw another vision," she answered quickly, she began to pace about. "Tsal is going to be attacked by the dark ones!"

"No way!" he roared almost dropping the pack of food. "I've only been there a few times. Their security is locked tight!"

"I know." She looked up at Colb with fear in her eyes. "Colb, I think it's really happening."

"Don't you say that!" He roared, anger being etched in his eyes. "We just need to beat them to the punch, that's all!"

Sniven wanted to comment about last time, but he held it in. He watched Colb's flame enlarge as his voice grew louder.

"Colb, the dark is growing, I was so stupid for not realizing it the year Yan had fallen. I should've known things were going to get worse, especially now since Sniven is the heir to the Cipher."

"Listen, we can still beat them, we just need to warn the Grand Guildmaster!"

 _Grand Guildmaster?_ He wondered if that was a similar meaning to that of a king. He looked over to Gadda who was staring perplexed at the two arguing.

"Sniven doesn't know when it'll happen, the city is days away!"

"We'll fly their then!"

Frose grunted in frustration. "Take a look at Gadda!" She motioned toward the dazed Greninja. "He wouldn't be able to keep up!"

Colb quickly glanced at him, his anger subsiding rather quickly at the sight. "Oh no, I thought the reviver seeds worked."

"I don't know what happened to him, but he's hurt, Colb," she said following his stare. "I felt his pain last night too, I even felt it when I was unconscious."

Colb ran up to him and knelt down. Gadda looked into his eyes and said something to him.

"That's a good relief," he replied to his scratchy voice. "Can you walk?"

Gadda nodded, looking unsure himself from Colb's question. He braced himself and slowly got up. He stumbled, but he caught himself before falling backwards. He shakily took a few steps, each one seeming to take a toll on him.

"I found some oran berries." Colb fished through the pack to find a blue colored fruit. It looked rather massive to Sniven, but it had just enough girth to neatly fit within Colb's claw. He handed it to Gadda who happily took the fruit and instantly swallowed the giant fruit in one gulp.

Sniven wasn't sure what he just witnessed, he didn't know if he should be amazed or scared. Gadda swallowing something that massive in one go was definitely not what he expected. Gadda let out a sigh of relief. He waited a few moments before trying to move again. This time he walked fine, he smiled at the effects the fruit had done.

"I guess we won't fly," Colb grunted. "Come on, we got to get moving if we don't know when it's going to happen."

Sniven and Frose both nodded in agreement. The group followed Colb out of the clearing, leaving behind broken branches, a ditch, and charred wood. Their journey having not changed, but they moved with a known purpose.

* * *

The tower stood tall, the red lights giving a low hum in the morning sky. The trees behind it swaying quietly in the gentle breeze. In front of the tower laid what used to be a flourishing town. Trees were cut down, buildings were destroyed, the smell of blood hovered in the air.

A mole looking creature waddled about in the destruction. Sharp, drill-like, spikes jutted out from its hands and head. The head drill looking more like an extremely elongated helmet. It had the look of resolution in its black eyes, the surrounding destruction not phasing him.

It waddled over to the tower, cranking its neck to look at the very top. It pulled out a sphere, blue shimmering light emitted from the glass. He held it high, the tower instantly reacting to the action. It's red lights glowed along with the blue sphere.

A flash of light overcame the mole, but it's gaze did not drop. The doors to the tower were suddenly not there. Footsteps walking on metal sounded, something was coming out of the grand tower. It appeared to be an older woman. She appeared motherly just by her looks alone.

She blinked, her eyes consisting hues of the entire color spectrum. She held a sweet smile, her green hair flowing from an invisible force. She wore a white dress, it also flowing as if there was a strong wind, but it was just a gentle breeze at the moment. She glowed slightly, she also seemed to send off a multitude of colors that match the blue sphere. Both their lights fiercely glowing at each other as if it was a part of her.

Her smile faded when she gazed at the destruction. Her warm face was replaced with sadness.

"Oh, my children," she said with a heavenly voice. "I'm so sorry."

The mole, not surprised at this motherly figure, approached her with outstretched hands. She took her gaze from the destruction to the light that the mole held before her.

"I see, so this is the one."

Suddenly, a figure appeared just beside her. Her purple eyes shining. Her face expressing a wide smile. "Mother!"

"Why are you doing this?" she asked without looking at the purple eye girl. "What is the purpose of this destruction?"

"You know why, mother," she answered looking away with a frown. "I know it's not what you want, but-"

The mother raised her hand. "I know, child, I can see all." She took the glass sphere, cuddling it as if it were as pure and fragile. "I know what I must do."

The purple eye girl gasped with wide eyes. "Mother, are you sure?"

She nodded, her solemn expression never changing as she clasped the sphere in her palms. "If you think what you're doing is helping, then I will not stop you." She closed her eyes. "But you know if you shall succeed, you will still fail and all of my children will be punished."

"I don't care about that," she grunted. "I'm tired of doing this, I'm tired of _him_ , I just want to be-"

"Relax, my child," she said. "I can't see the result."

"That's what the others said." She looked off to the morning sky. "No matter how hard they tried, they can't see it happening. Which means," she turned back with vigor, "this could be it! Finally it'll pay off!"

She opened her eyes, the colors of her eyes shining beautifully in the morning air. "Sacrifices will need to be made."

"No, this will work, I promise! You don't even need to do that!"

She smiled sadly, turning her head to the purple eye girl. "Child, for when that day comes, know that I will always love my children, no matter what."

"Mother," she turned away. "You should go see the others if that's what you truly feel." She walked away from her to the collection of trees. She suddenly vanished in a split second without a trace of her ever being there.

The mother hummed softly, closing her eyes and appeared to be listening to the blue light in her palms. "Yes, I can see you're afraid, do not fear." She walked off pass the mole who only stared at her. "You will be the one to save us all, trust in yourself."

She vanished suddenly, leaving the mole alone. The tower shimmering in the morning sun uncaring.


End file.
